Like I'm Your Lover or More Like Your Ghost
by Halawen
Summary: DeGrassi's new junior pro hockey team brings a ghost from Clare's past she'd rather forget. She's not going to let this hamper her getting back together with Eli or her exciting new co-op and she gets help from a surprising ally. Read authors notes. Clowen (eventually). Possible trigger warnings on some chapters. Drama with as much fluff as I can get in and smut too.
1. Some Ghosts are Never Gone

**Legal: I own nothing but the idea.**

**Important to know before reading: **

**Starts with "Come as You Are".**

**Nobody went to the cabin, basically "Nowhere to Run" doesn't happen in this. Clare never got back together with Jake after the wedding and therefor were not dating at the beginning of the school year.**

**Dallas is not a father in this story.**

**This is a Clowen story it's just going to take a while so be patient Clowen fans.**

**Okay that should so it enjoy the chapter.**

**Ch. 1 Some Ghosts are Never Gone**

**(CLARE)**

Jake dropped me off out front of the school; I saw Adam and some of my other friends walking to the steps.

"Hey anybody seen Eli?" I ask joining the group.

"He just got his driving privileges back," Adam says they must be talking about breakups, or bad relationships.

"That was a long time ago," I remind him; after all it's been over 9 months since that night.

It had taken us nearly that long to start talking again, we'd had our moments over the past few months. A few times during his play, Adam getting shot of course and I still hate thinking about that night. After prom I'd spent the summer at my grandparents so I had missed Eli and Jake hanging out all summer and becoming friends. I'd missed Drew breaking Katie's heart to get back together with Bianca. Then Katie and Jake had started dating and still were. I came back from summer to a whole new world as a whole new Clare, not that anyone knew it, I kept it very well hidden. As much as Eli and Jake had become friends Eli and I had pretty much avoided each other all of last semester and I had spent the whole semester trying to forget and atone for my summer. However Eli had helped rescue the last edition of the DeGrassi Daily before break and we'd reconnected, after exploring the carnival I had kissed him. So I was excited to see him today, I felt that spark again and I was hoping he did too.

"Hey what are we talking about?" Bianca questions coming up to Drew and greeting him with a kiss.

"Clare's excited to see Eli," Alli tells her.

"Could it be the schools most talked about couple is rekindling their flame?" Bianca says in a half teasing tone.

With all the time I spent at Adam's house last semester, because I didn't want to be at home, Bianca and I had begun a friendship. I even considered Drew to be a friend now and not just Adam's brother.

"We were not the schools most talked about couple," I say shaking my head as we all take seats in the gym for the mandatory assembly Simpson sent letters home about.

"Yeah you were, blackmail to get a date, poisoning, a knife fight and that was just the first night you two were even official don't forget a whole semesters worth of sexual tension that drove the rest of us crazy," Drew remarks.

"Yep," everyone else choruses in agreement.

Jenna and Connor join us; I see Jake and Katie sitting a few rows ahead of us and Simpson goes to the podium on stage.

"Welcome back DeGrassi students, I'm sure you're all wondering about the letter that went out over break. After much deliberation I am happy to announce that DeGrassi is now uniform free!"

With this announcement the gym erupts into cheers and people throwing off uniform jackets. Bianca just takes off her red polo revealing a bright pink lace tank top, which attracts the attention of most of the boys around us. Simpson has more to say though as he motions for us all to sit down.

"I am also happy to announce that DeGrassi has its very own junior pro hockey team the Toronto Ice Hounds," Simpson tells us.

People start clapping and a dozen boys sitting on the front left side of the gym stand up. The only one I recognize is Owen but Simpson is telling us how they were recruited from all over North America and there is even a set of twins from Sweden.

"NHL hopefuls go here?" Jenna asks licking her lips at the boy prospects.

"Aren't you guys hosting one?" I ask Adam and he nods.

"Are you single ladies going to "show them around", you have a whole dozen to choose from," Alli teases with finger quotes.

"Finger quotes? Really Alli? Besides I wa…" I freeze when I see him not even finishing my sentence. _"No it can't be, what's he doing here at __my__ school?! I don't remember him ever saying he even played hockey, of course I was there in summer. He's a senior I can probably avoid him…I hope."_

"Clare?" Adam questions putting a hand on my arm and breaking me out of my thoughts.

"Uh I have to use the washroom," I say getting up quickly to walk to the exit.

Eli is leaning in the doorway and I nearly don't see him as I rush to get out of the gym.

"Whoa Blue Eyes where's the fire?" He asks catching my arm.

I stop and smile when I look into his piercing green eyes, "Just wanted to stash some books before class, I have co-op this semester."

"I bet you'll get something good, anyone would be crazy not to take you," Eli smirks.

"So how was New York?" I ask him because I know he spent the holidays in New York with his parents.

"Ugh I hated it, there was all this art and culture and architecture," Eli says making a face and shivering like it was disgusting.

"So you loved it," I laugh.

"Already thinking about my NYU portfolio for next year," he tells me.

"Eli that's amazing," I grin.

"So," he says uncomfortably.

"So w…" I'm cut off by a startling cheery voice suddenly at my side.

"Hi I'm Rebecca Baker but everyone calls me Becky. My family just moved here from Florida, my brother's on the hockey team," she tells us.

Becky is few inches taller than me, incredibly skinny, possibly skinner than Maya which I didn't think possible. She has long strawberry or dark blonde hair and blue eyes.

"The sunshine state I might have guessed," Eli quips giving her his smirk.

"Can one of you show me to Mr. Perino's World History class?" Becky requests.

I notice that the assembly is breaking up and as I want to avoid the hockey team at all costs I want to get out of here.

"Yeah I can show you," I say to Becky and look at Eli, "talk to you later Eli."

He smiles and I take Becky's hand walking away as quickly as I can without seeming rude.

"I'm kind of nervous about starting at a new school but we couldn't pass up this opportunity for my brother. Oh hey you wear a chastity ring, so do Luke and I. Our dad's a minister at Broadview Gospel Hall. You should come by some time; everyone at our church is really nice. I was thinking of starting a youth group, I know you have friendship club here but that's just at lunch, we could have it at my house after school," Becky says excitedly.

"Oh yeah, my ring," I say uncomfortably turning the band of metal on my finger. Becky's still talking but we've reached her class so I interrupt her. "This is Perino's class; well have a good first day. I'm Clare by the way," I say extending my hand.

"Thanks and thanks for showing me my class, it's nice to meet you Clare," Becky grins shaking my hand and then goes into the room.

I head off to Miss Oh's class excited to find out what my co-op is, although I won't find out until later this week. Alli's in class and waves to me so I sit at the desk in front of her because the ones on either side of her are taken. We talk for a few minutes until the bell rings and Miss Oh begins class. She tells us a little of what to expect this semester and reads from a few past students who did co-op. She gives us the rest of class to fill out our applications and write our essays for each place. I've already done that, I did it over break and e-mailed them to Miss Oh because I knew I'd be in co-op this semester, so Miss Oh excuses me from the rest of class which means I don't have any classes until after lunch. So I leave class and stash my backpack in my locker before going to the bulletin board for the clubs to see if there is anything worth joining this year.

"Well now this school just got a whole lot better."

The sound of his voice makes my skin crawl and yet, much as I'd like pretend it didn't, it makes me tingle as well.

"Go away Mike," I demand as firmly as I can without turning around to look at him.

"I know you don't mean that Clare," he replies walking up behind me and caressing his hands down my arms.

My skin tingles at his touch and I shake with disgust all at once. I hate so very much that there's a part of me that wants him to keep touching me. Last summer comes rushing back and I bite my lip briefly and then push him away.

"Don't touch me!" I snap at him turning to face him a little and crossing my arms over my chest.

"Now I know you don't mean that," he says in a despicably vile way and catches my hand examining my purity ring. "I can't believe you're still wearing this, does everyone really still think you're a virgin?" He laughs.

"Nobody has any idea about last summer, about us or anything and I want it to stay that way. Just leave me alone me alone Mike!" I snarl at him getting angry and a little scared now.

I try and walk away but he's still holding my hand, he grips it a little tighter and pulls me back, not roughly but with enough force that our bodies nearly touch. God I can smell him, his scent brings back such a rush of extreme memories I feel like I might pass out, or possibly vomit.

"You don't really expect me to leave you alone do you?" Dallas questions with his lips very close to mine.

"Everything okay?" Owen's voice makes me jump and I look over, sure that I have a guilty look on my face.

"Everything's fine," I reply quickly yanking my hand back and walking away as fast as I can go.

As soon as I'm down the hall from the two Ice Hounds I start running, down the hall and out the back. I push the metal utility door so hard that it hits the brick and makes a loud bang. I start pacing along the soccer field, shaking slightly and am nearly in tears because Mike Dallas is at my school and now he knows I'm here too.

**(OWEN)**

I watch Clare run off and look at Dallas, "What was that about?" I inquire.

"Just getting acquainted with the hot girls here at DeGrassi," Dallas replies.

"Yeah well rumor is that hot girl is getting back together with her ex so hands off," I warn him I'm also sure more is going on than he's saying. Dallas just gives me a grin and walks off down the hall. I go in the direction Clare ran off to, I hear the metal door behind the utility room opening and closing with bang so I know where she went. "Clare are you okay?" I question and she jumps a little, guess I surprised her.

"I'm fine," she responds trying to walk away but I run ahead of her and block her path.

"Clare if Dallas did something then you can tell me. The whole team has a code of conduct to follow and if Dallas did something I should tell coach, he doesn't get special treatment just for being captain," I inform her.

"Mike didn't do anything I was showing him how to get to class," she insists.

"That's not what it looked like to me, and that's another thing why do you call him Mike?" I question.

"That's his first name isn't it," she shoots back in a snarky and slightly annoyed tone.

"Yeah but I've never heard anyone call him that but you, even the coach calls him Dallas. The only time coach tried to call him Mike he went ballistic and no one has even tried since but he didn't bat an eye when you called him Mike. Plus you never called Fitz Mark or call K.C. Kirk Cameron. How'd you even know his first name was Mike?" I inquire.

"He told me, can I go now?" She asks getting agitated.

I know something else is going on, every instinct I have is telling me so but I'm sure Clare isn't going to tell me, not right now anyway. I move aside, she runs off in the direction of the Dot and I head back into school to grab my stuff for my next class.

"Hey Drew," I call to him when I get to my locker and see Drew at his, he looks over at me, "Does Clare know Dallas is billeted with you?" I ask him.

"Adam could have told her, why?" He asks closing his locker and coming over to me.

"I think she might know him already, she calls him by his first name," I remark.

"You're kidding, he won't even let my mom call him that and very few people say no to Audra Torres. She's never been to Guelph that I know of but Adam would be the one to ask," Drew replies.

I nod close my locker and Drew walks with me, turns out we both have business leadership this period. When I get to the room I see Eli in there, he's sitting at the front with Fiona and Imogen. Drew and I sit in back and then Dallas comes in and sits on the other side of Drew.

"Hey Eli you getting back together with Clare?" I call across the room.

Dallas had been flipping through a book but this peaks his interest and he looks up, Drew just looks at me like I've lost my mind. Eli had been talking to Fiona and Imogen but now the three of them look over their shoulders at me.

"Why? You thinking of asking her out?" Eli asks cautiously and giving me quite the glare because he's worried I'm going to ask her out.

"Just curious, heard you two were heating up again," I remark glancing at Dallas just a little, he's awaiting Eli's answer but doesn't seem to be worried either way.

"She kissed me before break but we haven't talked about getting back together," Eli responds and Dallas chortles which makes Eli and Drew look at him. "I hadn't really thought about it," Eli adds furrowing his brow at Dallas.

"Oh yeah right that's probably all you thought about during break," Fiona chides and Imogen agrees.

"Okay I thought about it, a lot," Eli says and Imogen laughs.

I look at Dallas but he's just grinning like he's happy about this, no time to think about it now as the teacher has come in. Class is fine but I spend most of it wondering how Clare knows Dallas and what happened with them. After class it's lunch so after stashing my books in my locker Drew and I go with Bianca to the Dot.

"Hey we're having a party tonight," Adam informs his brother when we get to the Dot.

"Mom and Dad will be home tomorrow morning," Drew argues.

"We'll have it cleaned up before they get home, I already tweeted it," Adam tells us and Bianca pulls out her phone.

"Burn your uniform party cool," she grins at Adam then looks at Drew, "I'll help set up and clean up, Audra will never know."

"Yeah we don't have practice today so I can help too," I tell Drew.

"Adam brilliant idea on the party dude, it's going to be huge," Dallas grins walking in with Luke and a few of the other guys.

"Good thing you specified grades 11 and 12 only, I got to know who all the hot girls are that aren't too young," remarks Casey our second string left wing.

"Dave's taking me to the store, gonna buy some supplies," Adam tells us walking out.

"We better keep the party in the basement," Drew comments just as I see Clare out the window, she's walking back to school.

Dallas notices her too and watches her walk away, to be fair he's not the only one a couple of the other guys watch her ass sway as she walks but Dallas is the only one I'm worried about. My last two classes of the day go by quickly and after school we split up to get supplies for the party. Dallas comes with me to buy beer since we both have fake ID's. Drew and Adam already have the basement pretty well set up by the time we get there and people are beginning to arrive. Clare comes with Alli and Jenna, her dark blue top has long sleeves and covers a lot but it's tight and looks like it's been formed around her breasts. Alli leaves Clare to be with Dave, Luke starts talking to Jenna and Clare is looking around the room, for Eli I assume but Dallas goes to her first. She gets a displeased look on her face at the sight of him and although I can't hear what they're saying from this side of the room she doesn't look happy. In fact she walks away from him and starts talking K.C. to make Dallas leave her alone and now I'm certain that something happened between the two.

**(CLARE)**

I had been at Adam's party for over two hours; I'd talked to K.C. and Connor, watched Adam burn some uniforms on the BBQ and spent a good deal of time with Jenna. I'd only seen Eli once and he was talking to some other people and the music was so loud we couldn't really talk in here anyway. On the other hand Mike seemed to be there every time I turned around, I hate that he's here, I thought after last summer I'd never have to see him again but now he was going to my school.

"I don't know why you keep trying to run from me Clare," he says appearing when I go to get a drink. "How about you have some beer," he offers.

"Why don't you just leave me alone? There are at least a dozen other girls here that I'm sure would be happy to talk to you," I point out.

"Yeah but they're not interesting and you know I want to do more than talk," Dallas replies.

"I'm sure they'll do that with you too," I snap back trying to walk past him but he grabs my arm.

"Maybe but I don't know what they'll do and I know what you'll do," he says nearly whispering it in my ear.

"Just leave me alone!" I assert pulling my arm back and pushing my way through people to get outside.

I close the sliding glass door behind me and let out a frustrated scream stomping my foot on the ground!

"Problem?" Eli asks looking up from his spot on the bench, I didn't even realize he was outside until he spoke.

"Just getting annoyed with our new hockey team," I reply it's not a lie…exactly.

"Yeah I met a couple of them today; I've got classes with a few of them," Eli tells me.

"Yeah well I think I've had all the drunken hockey players I can handle for right now, I'm gonna go home," I tell him.

"You want a lift?" Eli offers.

"Sure," I smile and he gets up. He's driving his mom's car and we get in, my house is only a few minutes from Adam's but when he parks outside of my house I don't get out of the car. "Eli about that ki…" I begin to say but before I can finish the word he cups my face in his hand and crushes his lips to mine.

I exhale into the kiss, so warm, so familiar, so gentle and I smile. After a minute I pull away from the kiss and Eli's eyes lock onto mine.

"That kiss was on my mind the whole time I was in New York," he tells me and my smile gets a little bigger.

"Then why didn't you say anything all day? Or kiss me again?" I question.

"I've come a long way from last year and I was afraid to chase you again," he tells me.

"You don't have to chase me Eli I'm right here," I tell him, he smirks and smashes our lips together again.

We stay with our lips locked this time, never breaking apart, not even coming up for air, at least not until there's a knock on the car door and we both jump. I turn around to see Jake standing there, well that's better than my mom standing there. I lean over and open the door, Jake leans in the opening, one arm on top of the car, the other along the top of the door.

"So does this mean you two are back together?" Jake questions and I look at Eli.

"Yeah," he grins.

"Cool well Clare's curfew is in five minutes so I suggest she get inside you two can make out tomorrow," Jake grins and I glower at him.

"Call me when you get home," I request.

"Of course Blue Eyes," Eli smiles and I get out of the car.

I go in with Jake, say hi to my mom and tell her homework at Adam's was fine because that's what she thinks I was doing. I only have a little homework to do and I finish that in about an hour, while talking to Eli on the phone. We get ready for bed together and fall asleep on the phone. I wake to the sound of Eli's deep rhythmic breathing and I smile.

"Eli," I say but he doesn't wake up, "Eli."

"Hey guess we fell asleep on the phone," he says in a tired voice.

"Guess so you have morning voice," I grin.

"So date tonight? Like a re-first date?" He asks and I hear the grin on his lips.

"Sounds perfect, I'll see you at school, no more uniforms means I have to think about what to wear," I tell him.

"Mmm you look good in anything, see you at school Blue Eyes," Eli says and hangs up.

I get up gleefully and go to my closet to decide what to wear. I nab the washroom before Jake and go down to breakfast.

"Well you seem awfully cheery this morning," Mom comments when we're all at the breakfast table.

"She's back together with Eli," Jake explains taking a large bite of egg.

"Oh, well Eli's a nice boy and you two did make a cute couple. We should have him over some time," Mom says slowly like she's not sure if my getting back together with Eli is good or bad.

"I'm sure Eli will come to dinner, especially since he and Jake are friends now," I comment.

Jake and I leave for school after breakfast, Eli is waiting on the steps for me, he waves to Jake and kisses me.

"Hey if you crash your car this time I'm going to kill you," Adam calls from behind us and we turn around.

Adam runs up being followed Drew, and to my disgust Mike, at least he seems to be having a conversation with Drew and not paying attention to us. Or so I think but Mike gives me a look when he passes me, at least Adam and Eli don't notice.

"So when do you find out what your co-op is?" Eli questions as the three of us walk into school together.

"Everyone gets placed by the end of the week," I shrug.

"I have to get to my locker, I'll see you guys later, and you tonight Blue Eyes," Eli says tipping my chin up to kiss me softly.

Eli walks off and I'm smiling while Adam shakes his head, but he's smiling too. I put most of my books in my locker and then Alli and Jenna appear.

"Girl talk I'm outta here," Adam says when they gather around me.

"So you disappeared from the party last night, were you with Eli?" Alli questions as I wave to Adam.

"Yes and we're back together," I tell them and they squeal.

"I knew it! You can double date with me and Dave sometime," Alli insists.

"Uh sure," I reply not sure that Eli and Dave have a single thing in common.

We talk until the bell and then Alli and I run to class, getting in just before the late bell.

"A big congratulations to our first placement Clare Edwards, she's been placed at the Interpreter with one of my favorite reporters Asher Shostak," Miss Oh tells me as soon as she starts class.

"You're kidding, that was my first choice," I grin happily taking my packet from Miss Oh.

"Yes and they are expecting you in 45 minutes so you better get going," she tells me.

I smile at Alli and race out the door; I send a text to Jake that I'm taking the truck to my co-op. I show the security guard my packet when I get to the building and he lets me in.

"Mr. Shostak," I say knocking on his office door, "I'm Clare Edwards."

"Ah yes my high school slave for the next few months," he says in a joking tone and I laugh nervously. "Welcome aboard Clare, we're going to just toss you in and see if you can swim but don't be afraid to ask questions. So why don't you start with this stack of fact checking," Asher says handing me a huge pile of papers.

He takes me out to a desk I can use and I get to work, it takes pretty much all my time to do the fact checking.

"All done, every fact has been triple checked," I tell him.

"Wonderful, can you run downstairs and get me a red eye with two shots?" He asks handing me some money.

"Sure," I reply taking the money, I don't really want to do grunt work but it's part of the job.

"Get yourself something too Newsie," he says just before I go out the door. I go down to the little coffee shop that's conveniently next door and get his coffee and one for me, with less caffeine. "Thanks Newsie, you should be heading back now, I'll see you tomorrow," Asher says when I hand him his coffee.

"Yes see you tomorrow Mr. Shostak," I smile.

"Newsie call me Asher, my father is Mr. Shostak," he says.

"Okay see you tomorrow Asher," I grin and leave.

So far today has been wonderful, I'm back together with Eli, I have a great co-op with an amazing journalist mentor and Eli and I have our re-first date tonight. I get back to school at lunch and practically skip inside.

"You look happy, how was co-op?" Eli asks when I join him and Adam in the memorial garden.

"Great Asher is amazing, he's this incredible journalist and he's only 32. He's really nice and friendly, he even has a nickname for me," I inform them before taking a bite of my sandwich.

"Uh is that normal?" Adam inquires.

"What do you mean?" I question furrowing my brow because I don't see the problem.

"For your boss to have a nickname for you?" Eli clarifies and Adam nods.

"Guys he calls me Newsie not Baby Doll or something," I laugh.

"Still seems a little creepy to me," Adam remarks.

"Oh Adam stop being paranoid it's an innocent nickname," I assure him,

Neither of them looks convinced but at least they drop it. After I eat I leave the boys so I can use the washroom and get some books from my locker. I don't even make it to a washroom however when Mike grabs my arm and pulls me into a classroom.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" I demand pulling my arm back.

"I wanted to talk," he shrugs, "and you've been avoiding me."

"Then take the hint and leave me alone!" I bark at him.

"Now why would I want to do that?" Dallas asks taking a step closer to me.

I back up and bump into a desk, it slides a few inches and I am forced to sit on it. Mike leans on the desk one hand on it as he leans into me and I lean farther back. His breath ghosts along my neck, the heat from his body close enough to heat mine. Butterflies fill my stomach and I suck in breath before his lips abduct mine. I make a tiny involuntary whimper; the feel of his lips has me tingling and getting wet between my legs. I hate Mike Dallas, I hate him for this very reason, I lose control, I lose all sense and my sanity and often more when he's touching me or even around me. It's like he puts some sort of spell on me and my brain just stops all together. His tongue licks across my bottom lip and they part for him on their own. His tongue slips in and his hand slides along my leg and up my skirt.

"I don't like tights don't wear them anymore unless they're on a garter belt or stop at your thigh," he commands but he's broken the kiss and his words make me angry.

"Mike stop I have a boyfriend," I tell him.

"Then dump him," Mike responds pulling the neckline of my blouse down to kiss the top of my breast.

I whimper again wanting to push him away but my brain and body have turned to mush.

"No," I manage to whisper but just barely.

"Then cheat on him, I don't care everyone at this school thinks you're a straight laced saint. They don't know shit," Mike says as he kisses up to my lips again.

Eli starts to fade from my mind, any resolve I had begins to fade away as our lips seal together once again. I'm nearly ready to give in entirely and have sex here on the desk when the door suddenly opens.

"What the fuck is going on?"

Owen's voice brings me back; I push Mike away from me and run out of the classroom as fast as I can. It's going to be one long semester!

**Hope you guys are liking the new story thus far. Update next Wednesday picking up from around here. And EClare fans remember this really is a Clowen fic.**

**Thanks to Christlove88 for her help with the church name and classes.**


	2. Afraid of the Way I Really Need You

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed, favorited or followed last week! Thanks for reading everyone!**

**Ch.2 Afraid of the Way I Really Need You**

**(OWEN)**

I was headed to my locker, near the end of lunch, but stop when I hear the sounds of people in Armstrong's empty University track math classroom. One of the voices very obviously belongs to Dallas and the other is too soft to hear, but I do hear a desk being pushed slightly. I listen for a minute but can't make out what they're saying, I try the handle, find it unlocked and so I throw the door open. Dallas is leaning over a girl on a desk, his hand caressing up her leg as he kisses her, not just any girl it's Clare. She gasps when I come in the room and pushes Dallas away running out the door.

"What the fuck is going on?" I ask Dallas who is now leaning on the desk.

"Just having a little fun," Dallas shrugs.

"Given the way Clare ran out I don't think she was having any fun. She has a boyfriend back off!" I tell him.

"Or what? I'm your captain I can have you running suicides every practice for the next month," Dallas tells me getting off the desk and coming over to me.

I'm a good six inches taller than him and he doesn't scare me at all. He might be used to being the bully at his old school but this is my school.

"Do whatever you want to me but leave Clare alone," I tell him. He snorts at me and walks off down the hall, I go on a hunt for Clare, she's not at her locker and I have no idea what her next class is. I walk the halls a bit and find her in a corner behind the senior lockers. "Clare what happened in there? You just got back together with Eli so why were you alone in a dark classroom with Dallas?" I question.

"Just go away Owen," she requests with her head on her arms which are resting on her knees.

"Not until you tell me how you know Dallas and what you were doing in that classroom," I respond.

She just makes an annoyed huff and gets up as fast as she can trying to get away from me. She can't move as fast as I can though and I jump up grabbing her arm.

"Owen just leave me alone," she demands yanking her arm back, her voice starts out firm but wavers near the end and I see tears in her eyes.

"Everything okay?" Eli asks appearing at the end of the hall.

Clare wipes her tears, gives me a pleading look not to tell Eli about Dallas and turns around painting a smile on her face. Eli is glaring at me probably thinking I hurt her or something, of course I could beat him to a bloody pulp with one hand tied behind my back. He knows this too but Eli's also crazy enough to try and fight me anyway.

"Everything is fine Eli, walk me to class?" She requests.

Eli gives me one more hard glare before holding his arm out to his girlfriend and grinning at her. "Of course milady," he says and they walk down the hall.

Clare looks back at me, giving me a grateful look for not saying anything and then they disappear around the corner. My next class is University English, a class I have with both Dallas and Eli, neither of which are in class when I get there but Bianca is.

"Hey has Dallas said anything to you about knowing Clare already?" I ask her.

"No, he was watching her a lot at the party last night though," Bianca replies.

"Yeah I noticed that," I respond as Eli comes in. "Hey Eli do you know if Clare's ever been to Guelph?" I ask him.

"No I don't and why do you suddenly have so much interest in my girlfriend anyhow?" He inquires.

"Dude it was just a question chill," I tell him.

Dallas comes in and smirks at us, the rest of the class fills up and Miss Dawes starts class as soon as the bell rings. Dallas and I both have vehicle maintenance last period, as does Drew. Dallas doesn't mention the incident with Clare for the rest of the day and I drop it, for the time being but I am going to figure out what the hell is going on. After school I see Clare walking out with Adam as the team gets on the bus that will take us to the arena for practice.

"Break into pairs for passing drills," Coach says after we've changed into our gear and warmed up.

"Owen's with me," Dallas announces giving me a grin.

"You're going to run drills with a second stringer?" Luke questions.

"I'm sure Owen can handle me, right Owen?" Dallas asks in a taunting tone.

"Yeah I can take you on Dallas," I respond giving him a hard look so he knows he doesn't scare me.

We skate down a bit and he goes to the other side, he takes the puck and shoots it as hard as he can right at my head. I'm quick enough to raise my stick and knock the puck down before shooting it back at him. This goes on for about half an hour; he even manages to hit me with a couple of pucks, and even through the padding that hurts. Doesn't matter though whatever Dallas throws at me I take and just glare back at him.

"Nice work today Owen," Dallas says when we're in the locker room again. "You want to come to my place and do our English homework together? I still don't know how I ended up in a University track English class."

"Yeah sure," I nod.

I took what Dallas dished out and now we're cool again, but I still need to know what the hell happened between him and Clare. We shower, change and the bus takes us back to school then I give Dallas a lift back to the Torres house. We go in through the basement but instead of seeing the brothers or even Bianca I see Clare. She turns her head when she hears the door open, her expression going from abject anger to fear in less than a second.

"What are you two doing here?" She questions stiffening up.

"I live here," Dallas tells her with a cocky tone.

"You're billeted with Adam?!" She says in a scared yet bewildered tone.

"Yeah, so what are you doing here?" Dallas asks flopping down on the sofa.

"Adam is my best friend," Care answers through clenched teeth just as Adam comes down the stairs with two bottles of water.

"Hey Dallas and Owen," Adam greets us.

"Owen's helping me with English homework," Dallas tells him.

"Cool," Adam shrugs sitting down with Clare.

I assume Drew is out with Bianca since he's not here; Clare does everything she can to ignore us and concentrate on her biology project with Adam. Dallas and I get snacks before we get started on our homework. After a while I get up to use the washroom in the basement. When I come out Adam is gone, upstairs I'm assuming, and Dallas has Clare pushed up against one of the support columns in the basement. He's got his hands up her shirt, he's kissing her neck and Clare has her eyes closed, she's biting her lip. She seems to be enjoying it and yet, her posture is frightened and stiff. She looks nervous yet titillated, I get ready to stop them when the door opens and Adam starts coming down the stairs. Dallas immediately removes his hands and turns like nothing has happened while Clare fixes her clothes and hair before Adam sees her.

"Mom wants to know if you're staying for dinner Clare," Adam says reaching the bottom step.

"No I need to get home," she replies.

"I'll give you a lift," I tell Clare hoping I can talk to her and figure out what the hell is going on.

"Ok thanks Owen," she nods, "see you tomorrow Adam." She hugs Adam, doesn't even look a Dallas as she gathers her stuff and rushes out the door. I unlock my car, we get in, buckle and I start driving. "I'm just down…" she starts when I cut her off.

"I know where you live," I tell her and she looks at me wondering how since we've barely spoken to each other before this. "Fitz," I explain and she nods.

"If you know where I live then where are we going?" She asks me when I turn down the back road to the school and a shortcut to the ravine.

"I'll take you home but first you need to tell me how you know Dallas and what the hell happens every time you're around him," I demand parking the car.

"Owen please," she begs trying to get out of the car but I stop her.

"I've seen him doing things to you twice now that I never saw any of your boyfriends do. Catching Bianca like that wouldn't be so surprising, catching you like that on the other hand about sent me into shock now what the fuck Clare?" I question and she bites her lip wrinkling her brow as she considers whether or not to tell me. "You can trust me, I won't tell anyone else if you don't want me to but you can't tell me you met Dallas yesterday," I push.

"I met him last summer," she finally admits with a bit of defeated sigh. "After everything that happened at prom I was…not handling things well. I spent the first week at Adam's, barely leaving but he had physio and therapy and lots of brother time with Drew, which he needed. The more I was home though the more my mom and I fought, she lasted less than a week before announcing that I was spending the rest of the summer with her parents in Guelph and would return the night before the wedding. She put me on a bus and that was it, she never even called to make sure I got there. That's where I met Mike he lives there," she says.

"Yeah I know, so you two went out or what?" I question.

"Not exactly, I mean we never dated officially but we…" she pauses biting her lip as she searches for the right word. "When I'm around Mike I lose my mind, literally I mean I cease to think. I lose self-control and common sense, logic. It's hard to explain but he has this way of getting me to do things I don't want to," she says slowly.

"Things like rob a bank?"

She shakes her head, looking away from me with an ashamed look, "Sexual things," she practically whispers.

"Wait did you have sex with Dallas?!" I exclaim in shock, we are talking about one of the most chaste and prudish girls in the school, or so I thought. Clare simply nods and I look at her hand. "You lost your virginity to Dallas after knowing him one summer! But your ring?" I question.

"Three weeks, I lost my virginity to him after three weeks," she tells me and I almost choke on the breath that gets caught in my throat with this bomb shell. "I only wear the ring to fool people, my grandparents are more religious than my mom, and if I'd come back from summer without my ring people would have wanted to know what happened. My mom would have killed me and I just wanted to forget my whole summer. I left Guelph thinking that I would never have to see Mike Dallas again and now he goes to my school," she laments.

"How in the hell did he get your virginity after just three weeks? Did he rape you?" I ask Clare clenching my fist at the very thought.

"No, that is I never said no but I didn't really want to do…most of what we did. It was fun for a while but it quickly spiraled," she responds, she still hasn't looked at me; she's been looking out the window or at her ring this whole time.

"Clare if he forced you…"

"He didn't force me, I mean he never held a knife to my throat or even threatened me or anything like that. He just…has this way of making me lose my will power. I know it sounds stupid and I wish I could explain it better but it's like he casts a spell over me and takes over my mind and body. He would start talking and touching me and even if what he wanted sounded horrible to me I found myself giving into him inexplicably. I could be screaming no in my head but the words would never make it from my lips, I couldn't even shake my head. I know how pathetic it sounds and how ridiculously stupid but it's true. After Jake dropped me without a care and my mom shipped me off because she didn't want to deal with me…well I wasn't exactly in the best of states. My very religious and strict grandparents were just driving me crazy. They talked about how my mom was making a mistake, how I was too young to date, how horrible my father is. I just started wandering the city feeling dejected and worthless, and then I met Mike. He made me feel worth something again, beautiful and sexy and something to be desired. I don't want a guy to like me just based on looks but it is nice to feel beautiful and sexy too."

"Okay the fact that you don't know that you're fucking gorgeous and sexy is just wrong! Fitz and Eli both became obsessed with you and I can list at least a dozen guys that would kill to date you. Jake is an idiot for dropping you, I have no idea what's wrong with him," I tell her and she finally looks at me smiling just a little. "You should not be alone with Dallas again, I've seen the effect he has on you for myself," I command her.

"I've tried avoiding him but he goes to my school and lives with my best friend, it's not exactly easy. Anyway he knows what he can get me to do and how easily," she says looking away again.

"Then I'll kill him," I tell her.

"Owen I don't want you to get in trouble, he's your captain and I can handle it," she tries to tell me.

"I'm sorry you can handle it? You can't even think around him, next time he gets you alone you're liable to do anything he wants! You just got back together with Eli and Dallas has already touched your more in the last two days than I'm betting Eli ever has. You cannot handle Dallas! Where's your phone?" I question and she gets it out of her purse handing it to me. "Here I put in my number, if Dallas manages to get you alone again you call me or text me and I'll come right away. You being alone with Dallas is dangerous," I comment handing her phone back to her.

"Kay thanks Owen," she says looking at me with a small smile again.

"Guess I better get you home," I remark looking at the clock on the dash.

I turn around and drive the short distance, parking in front of her house; she thanks me for the ride and gets out. I wait until she's inside before driving off. I don't get much homework done because I spend most of the night wondering what in hell Dallas and Clare did this summer.

**(CLARE)**

I slept terrible all night long; Mike was fresh on my mind and everything we did this last summer. When I finally do fall asleep I even dream about last summer and Mike. I wake up feeling ashamed and pathetic; I take a very long shower and skip breakfast.

"You okay this morning? How come Owen dropped you off last night?" Jake inquires on the short drive to school.

"I'm fine, Owen was at Adam's last night and he offered me a ride home when I was ready to leave," I reply.

Jake doesn't say anything else and we're pulling up to the school anyway. The tires crunching on the little bit of snowfall last night grind at my raw nerves and I grind my teeth. Eli is near the picnic tables talking with Fiona and Imogen, Mike is on the steps with some of his team. Jake parks the truck; I zip up my jacket and tighten my scarf in preparation for going out into the biting below zero temperatures. Mike sees me and gives me a look; it's a grossly cocky look. Then he gives me a disapproving look after eyeing my legs so I assume it's because I'm wearing tights again but I'm not going to walk around in these temperatures with bare legs. Eli has his back to me and I want to run to his arms but I can't run on the slush in heels. I do everything I can not to look at Mike and get to Eli as fast as I can. Grabbing Eli's arm I turn him to me, grabbing his leather jacket and crushing my lips to his, cutting him off mid-sentence as he was telling Fiona and Imogen something.

"Morning Blue Eyes, that was a nice greeting," Eli smirks putting his arm around me.

"Sorry for the interruption," I apologize to Imogen and Fiona.

"That's okay Clare," Fiona smiles.

"Ooh we should double sometime," Imogen suddenly exclaims.

"Uh sure," I nod.

"I should get you inside, why are you wearing a skirt anyway it's freezing out here?" Eli scolds putting an arm around me and the four of us start walking inside.

"Co-op remember, I actually have to leave son," I remind him.

Mike gives me a displeased look when we walk past him, for what exactly I'm not sure but it's a scolding look like he would give a pet for doing something bad. Imogen, Fiona and Eli don't seem to notice and I look away from him moving closer to Eli.

"Eli's going to do a new play isn't that exciting?" Imogen squeals.

"That's great Eli, what were you thinking of doing?" I ask.

"Death of Salesman, a retelling for a new generation," Eli informs me.

"Sounds great Eli, I'm sure if you do it I'm sure it will be amazing," I smile kissing my boyfriend's cheek.

"I'm going to do sets and Fiona costumes," Imogen tells me excitedly.

"It'll be a smash then, I have to stash my books and sign in for Miss Oh before I leave for co-op, see you at lunch," I tell Eli when we reach the hall with their lockers.

He turns to me, brushes a curl behind my ear and takes my lips in a tender kiss. I'd give anything to say that Eli evokes in me what Mike does, but he doesn't. I wave to Fiona and Imogen before walking to my locker and stashing my backpack. A quick swing by Miss Oh's class to sign the attendance sheet and then I go back out to the truck to drive to the Interpreter office. There's a stack on the desk I use with a note on top that says **fact checking** so that's what I start with.

"Done with fact checking Asher," I tell him bringing the stack into his office.

"Record time Newsie, I was about to leave for an interview you want to come?" He offers.

"Are you kidding? A chance to see the great Asher Shostak in action," I grin.

"Well grab your coat and let's go," he smiles.

I grab my coat and purse following him down to the garage and into his car. His interview is with the owner of Toronto's biggest factory complex, it lasts about 45 minutes and I thrill in watching Asher interview this powerful man and not even be fazed. It's also the first time since last night that I've been able to forget about Mike.

"Well Newsie I've kept you and cut you into your lunch, the least I can do is buy you lunch," Asher says when we get back in his car.

"Okay thanks," I smile.

He takes me for Thai which is family style, we share pineapple fried rice and garlic lemongrass chicken while I pick his brain about being a journalist. When he parks at the office I go straight to the truck to drive back to school, barely making it before the bell rings signaling the end of lunch. I grab my backpack and slip into biology just before the late bell.

"You must have been busy at co-op you were gone for all of lunch," Adam comments as Mr. Bettankamp starts talking.

"Asher took me on an interview with him and then took me to lunch," I whisper back.

"And you don't think that's weird?" Adam inquires.

"Adam he's my mentor, he's in his thirties he's not trying to seduce me," I assure him.

Adam twists his mouth at me but doesn't argue anymore. After class we walk together to our Math Functions class and he seems to have dropped the subject.

"I'm going to try out for a band Mo is putting together, Imogen said she tried out at lunch," Adam tells me as we leave class for the day.

"You two are going to be pretty busy this semester if you're in a band and helping with Eli's play, at least I assume you're helping on Eli's play too," I comment.

"I said I'd be stage manager, see you tomorrow," Adam says and I hug him.

"Good luck Adam," I call as he walks away, he turns and smiles at me.

"There you are," Eli remarks coming up behind me and wrapping his arms around me from behind, the sudden touch makes me jump. "Sorry didn't mean to scare you I just missed you at lunch," Eli says kissing the corner of my jaw. "I have to go meet Becky Baker at the Dot; I don't suppose you want to come?" Eli questions.

"Not really, why are you meeting Becky at the Dot?" I inquire.

"She already approached Simpson about doing a play, I have to work with her," Eli grouses.

"I'm sure it won't be that bad," I laugh turning in his arms to kiss his cheek.

"Come over after then? My place at five, you can stay for dinner and we can do homework," he suggests.

"Sure, pick me up when you're done," I smile.

He smirks and walks off and I head for my locker, I don't even have my hand on the lock when Mike comes up behind me. I know it's him before his hands even go to my waist.

"Mike people are watching," I argue but don't push him away and it wasn't telling him no.

"Nobody's watching, everyone is headed to their afterschool things," he whispers against my neck. I hate how my body responds to him, I hate how my mind turns off around him, I hate that I want more. "Meet me after practice," he commands.

"I'm meeting Eli," I inform him.

Mike rapidly spins me around, causing me to gasp and then he gently pushes me up against the lockers. His leg gets between mine parting my legs, his hands gently but forcefully pinning me against the cold metal. My jacket and backpack drop to the floor as he presses his knee into my crotch just enough to press at the bundle of nerves. I whimper ever so slightly, biting my lip and closing my eyes as he kisses my clavicle.

"Don't go," he whispers against my skin.

"Eli's my boyfriend," I protest but this still isn't telling him no exactly.

When I hear footsteps in the hall I push him away quickly, the fear of being caught in this intimate position and Eli finding out gives me enough adrenaline to get some willpower back.

"Clare if you don't want to walk home then let's go," Jake demands sounding annoyed.

"I just need my books," I tell him unable to keep my voice steady.

Hearing the falter in my voice Jake steps a little closer and I see him eyeing Mike carefully just as I turn and start opening my locker again.

"You need something Dallas?" Jake questions.

"Yeah gotta get to practice, see you later Clare," Mike says and strolls away.

"What was that about?" Jake asks after I've switched out some books from my backpack to my locker and we begin walking to his truck.

"He needed help with English," I reply with the first excuse that comes to my head.

I don't know if Jake believes me or not but he doesn't say anything else. When we get home Jake goes to the fridge for a snack like always but I'm not hungry. I take a shower and am just getting dressed in jeans and a yellow top when my cell rings and it's Eli.

"Hey how did it go?" I ask him answering and getting my shirt on at the same time.

"Ugh that was all I could take of her, working with Little Miss Sunshine for three months might kill me. I'm done now and aching for some girlfriend time can I come get you?" He questions.

"Sure," I reply and then the doorbell rings.

"Eli's here," Jake yells up the stairs.

I hang up grab my jacket shoes and backpack before I run down the stairs. "What would you have done if I'd said no?" I laugh.

"Hung out with Jake," Eli shrugs and I shake my head.

"Jake tell Mom I'm doing homework at Eli's, I'm staying for dinner and will be back by curfew," I request.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do," Jake grins.

I stop myself from making a snarky comment because it would have led to questions that I never want to answer. Eli's driving privileges were recently reinstated and he's been driving his mom's car. His house is only a couple of blocks from mine so it only takes a couple minute to get there. We greet his parents, he tells them I'm staying for dinner and we go up to his room. I sit on his bed with my back on pillows against the headboard, he takes a pillow laying the opposite direction and getting out his English book.

I've been in a fair amount of boy's rooms before, not all of which were for anything remotely sexual, I've been in Adam's room for example and even Drew's. Jake's of course, Connor's room at Mr. Simpson's house and K.C.'s room at the group home, I saw Dave's when we did a school project last year. I even saw Peter, Spinner and Jay's apartments which counts, and I saw Mike's room at his home in Guelph. I've been in Eli's before too, it was a lot messier then but I've been in it before, however for some reason this afternoon instead of doing my homework I start mentally comparing Mike's room at his home in Guelph and Eli's room.

Mike had his bed on the south facing wall that had the windows, his walls were painted blue and sports memorabilia was everywhere. His walls were covered in football, basketball, hockey and lacrosse posters. He had sports trophies out on his desk and his bookshelf and lots of posters of girls in bikinis or less, all famous swimsuit models or actresses. His room had been messy with clothes scattered all over, a constantly unmade bed and often the remnants of a late night meal would still be left in his room the next day. He had a desk, a bookshelf, bed, dresser and a punching bag hanging from the ceiling. He did not have pictures in his room of family and friends. In fact he had only two pictures in his room at all, one of him holding a trophy I didn't pay attention to and one of him and his lacrosse team after winning the championship.

Eli's by contrast had black walls and dark carpet, his bed facing the windows which had blackout curtains on them and were rarely opened. His bed was always made and his room was now kept quite tidy, sure there was some dirty clothes strewn about and papers scattered about with his writings on them. Compared to when he was hoarding however his room was now pristine. He still held onto some things that were not necessary but considering I could get to more than just his bed it was practically a miracle. Eli had no posters of sports or nearly naked girls in his room. He did however have three Dead Hand posters, a poster for Fight Club and poster for some Indy Goth band I was unfamiliar with. He had a writing award up and a framed copy of Gothic Tales with his or I suppose our story in it. He also had lots of pictures up, most of which were of us misfits but he had one with his parents, one with his grandfather and one with him, Fiona and Imogen. There were also a couple of he and I from last year when we were dating, he's holding me in one, we're kissing in the other, Adam took both pictures.

The biggest difference for me between the two rooms is that I feel safe in Eli's. I never really felt safe in Mike's room.

"What's on your mind spacey?" Eli asks touching my leg and I jump.

"Nothing sorry I was just thinking," I apologize looking at my biology book.

Eli gives me a look but he doesn't press, I start my biology homework but my mind keeps drifting to Mike. To be specific my mind keeps drifting to the things Mike could get me to do in his room last summer. It takes me over half an hour to finish my biology homework which is very slow for me. It doesn't help that I'm sitting on my boyfriend's bed with him and even though the two rooms and two boys are totally different I keep seeing Mike's room and his bed and him. When Cece calls us down for dinner I jump and Eli gives me a worried look.

"You've been awfully jumpy today is everything okay?" He questions trying to put his arm around me as we walk downstairs but I flinch away.

"I'm fine Eli just very tired I didn't sleep very well," I explain, which is not why I'm so jumpy but also not a lie.

The first five minutes of dinner is spent by Eli's parents telling me how happy they are that Eli and I are back together. Eli grins and takes my hand kissing the back of it, while I tell them how happy I am too. Then they ask us about school, Eli talks about his play, I talk about co-op and then dinner is over. Eli and I put our plates in the dishwasher and go back to Eli's room to finish our homework. We work silently for a little while and I can concentrate better than before but then my phone rings and it's Mike.

"I'll be right back," I tell Eli getting off the bed.

"Who's calling?" He asks.

"Just my mom but if she has to yell or something I don't want to subject you to that," I lie and go out to the hall and then across to Eli's washroom locking the door behind me. "What?" I snap into the phone.

"I thought you were going to meet me after practice, I finished practice and had dinner and you are not here," Mike responds.

"I told you I was meeting Eli," I say with clenched teeth.

"I don't like that boyfriend of yours break up with him," Mike commands.

"You don't honestly expect me to do that do you?" I question aghast.

"Maybe I should put up some of your pictures online," he threatens

"You wouldn't dare," I barely get the words out in a shaky voice, as tears crowd my eyes at the thought he might actually put up any of the pictures he took of me.

"Why not, I bet you Eli will find them and then breakup with you so I can have you again. Honestly Clare I'm not seeing the incentive for keeping them to myself right now. I mean you're there with that Goth freak instead of here with me," Mike says in a cocky tone.

"Mike please don't you promised me no one else would ever see those," I plead with him.

"Then get over here so I can play with the real thing."

**Update next Wednesday starting from right about here.**


	3. Lost Summer

**RED see response on my profile I had a couple more questions.**

**Ch. 3 Lost Summer**

**(OWEN)**

I was finishing some homework in my room when my cell rang; I picked it up and looked at the caller ID. It was Clare which probably meant something was wrong.

"Hey what's up?"

"Mike just called he's demanding I go over there," she tells me.

"Where are you now?" I question.

"Eli's but I'll be going home in about an hour," she replies.

"Good stay there and make sure Eli takes you home," I instruct her.

"Okay but what about Mike?" She asks.

"I'll take care of him just stay with Eli," I tell her.

"Okay but don't get hurt," she says.

"I'll be fine," I assure her.

"Thanks Owen," she responds.

"No problem, I'll call you when you're home," I tell her and hang up.

Grabbing my coat, wallet, phone and keys I go out to the kitchen leaving a note on the bulletin board that I went out and will be home by midnight, which happens to be my weekday curfew. It's freezing outside so I put my coat on right away and lock the front door. It's a quick drive to the Torres house; I park out front and go to the basement door.

"Twenty-Two what are you doing here?" Dallas questions, calling me by my Ice Hounds number, as I walk in through the sliding glass door.

"I thought I told you to stay away from Clare," I reply shutting the door.

"What's it to you? She's not your girlfriend, according to Drew you guys aren't even friends, or even acquaintances," Dallas smirks.

"Maybe not, but I'm telling you to stay away from her," I warn him.

"You're taking your life in your hands, I'm captain and you're second string, I can wear you out in practice, make sure you see no ice time this season," Dallas threatens.

"Coach decides who plays, you can make practices hell for me but off the ice this is my school and my city. Clare has a boyfriend, leave her alone," I demand in a growl getting close to him.

Dallas stands and tries to make himself taller and more menacing but it doesn't work.

"I just wanted to see the girl, look at some of her pictures with her," Dallas grins flippantly.

"What pictures?" I inquire.

"I thought she told you," he smirks.

I open my mouth but I hear the basement door open and shut it quickly just as someone run down the stairs.

"Hey Dallas do y…" Adam stops when he sees me, "Oh hi Owen uh what are you doing here?"

"Came to give Dallas some notes, just remember what I said Dallas. Later Adam," I say turning to leave the basement.

"Hey where is she?" Dallas asks.

"She's not coming," I tell him and walk out.

When I get in my car I note the time, Clare should still be at Eli's but she'll be heading home soon. I drive to her place, parking across the street and one house down, turn out my headlights and watch her house while I play on my phone. It's about half an hour before Eli and Clare pull up, I watch Eli kiss her in the car and then she gets out, he doesn't even walk her to the door. Eli even drives away before she's gone inside, I honestly don't get why Clare has gone out with this guy twice now. When Eli is gone I call Clare, it takes a couple rings but she answers finally.

"Hey I just got home," she says when she picks up.

"I know I'm outside," I tell her.

"You're what? Why are you outside my house?" She asks.

"When I left Dallas I came here to make sure Dallas didn't," I reply.

"Oh, well thanks, umm hang on," she says into the phone and I hear her bedroom door open. "Mom I forgot my book in Eli's car, he's bringing it back I'm just going to go wait for him outside. I'll be back inside in twenty minutes," Clare says to her mom but keeping the phone near her mouth so I can hear.

"Alright Clare but don't be too long," her mom replies to her like she's ten and not almost seventeen.

"I won't," Clare replies in an annoyed tone, can't say that I blame her the way her mom talks to her. "I'll be outside Eli," she says into the phone as I hear her coming down the stairs.

She hangs up and a minute later she comes out her front door, without a jacket. She looks for my car and I flash my headlights so that she sees me. She runs over getting in the car and shivering a little, I take off my Ice Hounds jacket putting it around her shoulders and turning up the heater.

"Thanks," she smiles.

"Why'd you come out without a coat it's minus twelve right now and snowing a little," I scold her.

"Sorry, I knew you were out here didn't think I'd need a coat. What did Mike say?" She asks.

"Wanted to know where you were, I told him to stay away but he seems pretty determined. He also said something about pictures, what pictures?" I question.

"That was one of those things I didn't want to do but he talked me into. It was kind of fun at first, Mike was really excited about the pictures, he raved about them and how gorgeous and sexy I was," she tells me with a softly fond smile as the memories replay and whatever feelings they evoke in her. Then her expression changes, her face falling to shame, tears crowd her eyes, she bites her lip and looks out the window. "But like everything with Mike there were no limits, it quickly went from fun to uncomfortable to...scary," she admits the last on a shaky breath shivering as these new memories flood her mind.

"I can't believe you let him take pictures of you! You're one of the smartest girls I know," I admonish her, still in shock that Clare Edwards would let some guy, especially one she didn't know well and wasn't dating, take sexy pics of her.

"I know it was stupid, everything I did that summer was stupid! I felt like no one cared about me, Jake dropped me, Mom shipped me off, all my grandparents did was lecture! But Mike cared, he made me feel pretty and sexy and like I said before he has this way of just making all my good sense and logic just leave my brain. Actually my brain just shuts off all together and I just go on what he says to me and what my body wants. I just…" she pauses biting her lip and then sighs. "I should get back inside, thanks for confronting Mike for me Owen, I couldn't have, it would have just led to other things."

Then she kisses my cheek and gets out of my car, running into her house with my jacket still on her shoulders. I just sit there in my car for a few minutes staring at her house. Every time Clare tells me a little more about her summer in Guelph, the more questions I have. Finally I drive home, running into my house since I don't have my jacket. Tris gives me a look when I walk in but knows better than to ask questions. I grab a snack, go back to my room, finish my homework and take a shower before going to bed. That night I have a disturbing dream in which Dallas is ordering Clare to strip down so he can take naked pictures of her, but Clare's not really Clare she's this automaton that's only for sex. Then she starts to come to life and tries to get away from Dallas when the stuff he wants her to do gets scarier and more demeaning. Dallas of course won't let her get away and chains her to the wall.

The dream is so disturbing I wake up early; get dressed quickly, since Clare still has my Ice Hounds Jacket I wear my leather one. As soon as I'm ready I leave for school after telling Mom I have an early study group. Stopping at the Dot for breakfast before I actually head into school and then I sit by the entrance and wait for Clare, but I never see her. Eli comes in, the Torres brothers and Dallas, just before the bell Jake comes in.

"Hey where's your sister?" I ask him.

Jake turns around and cocks an eyebrow at me, "Why do you want to know?"

"She was going to help me with an English paper," I lie because I don't know what to tell him.

"My stepsister," he emphasizes for some reason, "stayed home sick, she said she'd probably be in tomorrow."

Jake walks off and I get up to go to my locker, I'm glad Clare isn't here today it will keep Dallas away from her for a day. Dallas keeps away from me for most of the day too but he does give me some menacing looking glares throughout the day. He does run me hard in practice though, another intimidation tactic but it doesn't work, I can take whatever Dallas throws at me. After practice I'm exhausted and starving but I still call Clare before getting something to eat.

"So are you really sick?" I inquire when she answers.

"I just didn't sleep last night," she responds.

"You coming to school tomorrow?" I ask.

"Yeah I can't fake sick another day my mom will catch on," she says.

"See you tomorrow," I tell her and hang up.

I set down my phone and grab a snack before dinner and then go to my room to start on my homework. I eat two helpings of dinner and then go to my room to finish my homework so I can go to bed. Problem is I can't sleep, best way to get to sleep is to whack off and the easiest way to get horny, look at porn. So I turn on my laptop and go to a site I use often, it's all just pictures of sexy girls, real girls that put them up themselves, or maybe their boyfriends or something do I don't know. I'm scrolling through the latest pictures when I freeze and my heart stops before it starts beating rapidly. There's a picture of Clare! I know it's Clare, no one else has her bright blue eyes, cinnamon curls and curves.

In the picture Clare is wearing a black corset type thing that goes under her breasts but has sleeves. Tucked into the corset is a long silky looking white skirt. That's all she's wearing! Her breasts aren't covered at all! She's sitting on a bed; I'm assuming is in Dallas' room in Guelph. Her legs are open but the skirt goes to the floor so you can't see anything, actually she has no exposed skin below her waist. She's leaning forward, her hands on top of each other between her legs and her arms squeezing her breasts together just a little. The best part about the whole picture is her expression, she's smiling, her eyes sparkling, biting her lip and looks beautiful but incredibly sexy.

"Hot damn!" Is all I can say and then I hit print.

**(CLARE)**

I didn't sleep all night, I just kept thinking about last summer, or should I say lost summer. No one knew what I did in Guelph, no one but me and Mike that is. My grandparents might be strict but they were old and it was easy to fool them. I either told them I was in my room reading or at church. Mom didn't call once, the only one I talked to at all was Adam and we only spoke a few times. When anyone asked about my summer I just told them I read and no one thought anything of it because it seemed so typical of straight laced dull Clare. Truthfully I blocked out most of the summer, I had to I just couldn't think about all the stuff I had done.

Since I didn't sleep all night it wasn't hard to convince Mom that I was sick. She told me to stay in bed, drink lots of fluids and there was soup in the cupboard I could heat up for lunch. I spent all morning watching TV in my pajamas and Owen's jacket, I couldn't help it, his jacket was warm, soft and it smelled nice, it smelled like Owen and recently I'd found his scent very comforting. The TV wasn't exactly keeping me from thinking but at least it was sort of distracting. When the doorbell rings just after twelve I jump a little, I was so deep in my bad memories I didn't notice how much time had passed.

"Clare," Eli calls into the house.

I make a sharp quick gasp tearing off Owen's jacket and stuffing it under the sofa cushion. If Eli sees me wearing an Ice Hounds jacket there will be a lot of questions that I don't want to answer.

"What are you doing here?" I ask as he comes in with a white paper bag.

"I brought you vegetable soup from the Dot for lunch," he replies.

"Thanks that was very sweet of you," I smile but when Eli leans over to kiss me I find myself turning away.

"I might be contagious," I lie quickly when my boyfriend looks wounded, truth is I have no idea why I turned away.

He relaxes, going into the kitchen and gets down a bowl to put the soup in. He brings me the soup and eats his lunch with me, leaving in enough time to get back to school. When Eli's gone I take Owen's jacket from under the cushion, it's a little dusty but otherwise fine. After rinsing my dish I go upstairs to my room, maybe it's the lack of sleep, or maybe it's all the lies I've had to tell since Mike came back into my life. Or maybe it's all the things Mike has made me feel again, either way it all starts to wear on me and I'm really not feeling well. I lie down and fall asleep until a little after five when my phone rings, it's Owen, our conversation is brief but it wakes me up. Problem is I don't want to be in the conscious world right now. Going into my mom's washroom I grab her bottle of sleeping pills, prescribed to her after her and dads divorce, and take two. I lie down and fall asleep within a few minutes. I sleep all through the evening and the night, waking up just after six the next morning.

"Feeling better Clare?" Glen asks when I'm dressed, ready for school and have come downstairs.

"Yes much better, I'm going to go to school so I can catch up on homework," I tell him.

"I can give you a ride, I was about to head out anyway," Glen tells me.

"Okay sure," I nod and follow Glen out to his truck.

My backpack is a little heavier and bulkier today than normal because I've got Owen's Ice Hounds jacket in it. Glen drops me at school and drives off, I walk in and find Owen's locker, his locker happens to be just two down from Eli's or I probably wouldn't know which locker is his. I was smart enough to bring a wire hanger and I hang his jacket on his locker, I'm confident no one will take it because no one will be stupid enough to take an Ice Hounds jacket, especially Owen's. Then I go to the resource center and really do get a start on my homework. I finish all of yesterday's homework and then go to my locker to start putting books in. Putting in my backpack, since I won't need it at co-op, when suddenly a picture is slid in front of my face and I freeze!

"He can talk you into things?" Owen questions, his tone isn't teasing more concerned but laced with just a little husky lust.

"Where did you get that?!" I demand in a choked frightened whisper trying to take the picture from him.

Owen keeps the picture out of my reach but he does put it into his jacket so that no one else sees it, "Found it last night on a website."

"Show me the site," I request and my voice wavers in distress.

"Here?" He asks.

"No I have to leave for co-op, after school I'll meet you at your place," I reply.

"It'll have to be after my practice but okay. Come on I'll take you to co-op," he says.

"Don't you have class?" I query.

"Nope, on my spare," he responds.

"I see you got your jacket back," I remark noting that he's wearing his Ice Hounds jacket.

"Yeah thanks," he replies.

"Sorry I ran off with it the other night," I apologize as we start to leave school.

"Don't worry about it," he says.

We're nearly at the door when Eli sees us and comes over, a mottled look of curiosity and angry jealousy on his face.

"What's going on?" Eli asks suspiciously.

"I'm just dropping Clare at her co-op, I'm on my spare and have to run home anyway," Owen tells him.

"We have to go or I'll be late," I tell Eli which is basically true.

"Okay see you for lunch," Eli says.

He steps closer to me, combs a hand into my hair, lightly gripping the hairs at the back and smashes his lips to mine. I kiss him back but this kiss feels less like a passionately wanting kiss than a show for Owen. I break the kiss after a few seconds, Eli smirks at Owen and walks off for class.

"He is really possessive isn't he?" Owen comments while we walk out to his car.

"He's gotten better," I argue and Owen gives me a look.

We get in Owen's car and he takes the picture of me from his jacket, looking at it for a few seconds and smiling before he lays it face down in the backseat.

"You know you look like you're having fun in that picture, smiling and biting your lip. This is innocent flirty, sexy look on your face," Owen remarks as he starts driving.

"That was the very first picture, that one was fun but they get worse…" I confess closing my eyes as I try to suppress the memories, "much worse."

Owen doesn't say anything else and the rest of the drive to the Interpreter office is silent. I thank him for the ride and tell him I can catch the bus back to school. Walking into the office building that houses the Interpreter offices is calming in a way. People are bustling about and talking about work and no one pays any mind to me. I called in yesterday to tell them I was sick and they said I could make up the time this weekend. When I get upstairs I have a stack of fact checking on my desk, it takes me an hour just to do that and when I'm done Asher is out on assignment so I leave it on his desk. He gave me some busy work to do in case he was out so I do that before it's time to go. I get my paper signed by Asher's boss and go down to wait at the bus stop. However when I get outside Eli is parked out front; I smile and go over to his car, getting in.

"Hey," he grins leaning over to kiss me, a soft happy kiss that isn't for show, "how was co-op?"

"It was fine, just fact checking and busy work," I respond buckling up.

"Adam's at the Dot ordering us lunch," Eli tells me as he starts to drive back to school.

I smile and sit back, watching the city pass as we drive. Eli parks at the Dot and we go inside, Adam has lunch waiting for us and he's nibbling at his fries.

"It's Friday we should hang out tonight," Adam comments after we've been eating for a bit.

"I've got casting for the play after school; did I tell you Becky is having us do Romeo and Juliet the musical?" Eli gripes.

"Yes you did and I have band rehearsal," Adam speaks up.

"Adam you made it in, congrats!" I smile hugging him, he must have found out yesterday while I was home sick, or rather hiding. "I'm meeting Owen after school but we can meet up later," I tell them without thinking and they both freeze, looking up at me and blinking.

"You're spending an awful lot of time with that jock lately, should I be jealous?" Eli questions trying to sound like it's a joke but he puts an arm tightly around me.

I turn to my boyfriend and kiss his cheek softly but he doesn't relax. "He asked for help with his college application essays Eli that's all. Owen isn't a bad guy…anymore, even Adam made peace with him," I remind Eli.

"Owen's okay, he's one of Drew's best friends and he did apologize to me for the door incident," Adam says.

"You have no reason to be worried Eli," I assure him capturing his lips for a soft kiss just as I hear someone sitting down at our table.

"You two are adorable," Mike comments and I break my kiss with Eli to glare at him, "you three coming to our game tonight?" Mike asks but he's looking at Adam and not at me.

"Actually we were just discussing what we were going to do tonight," Adam tells him.

"You have to come to our game, it's the first one of the season, I'll get you guys front row tickets and everything," Mike tempts us.

"The game and movie night at my house after?" Adam suggests.

"Sure, I guess I could live through one hockey game," Eli replies.

"I'll tell Mom I'm sleeping at Alli's so I can stay out late," I comment.

I really only want to go to the hockey game to watch Owen but movie night at Adam's does sound nice, we haven't had one with the three of us for a long time. I know Mike lives there too but I figure with Adam and Eli there Mike won't try anything, so long as I can avoid being alone with him. Maybe if I tell Owen we're going for movie night he can get himself invited too, just to be safe.

"Perfect," Mike says, one corner of his mouth pulling up into a wickedly excited grin and my stomach fills with butterflies at whatever he's thinking. "I'll give Adam the tickets and you can all meet up before the game."

With that Mike leaves us and we finish our lunch. Eli drives the three of us back to school and we separate to go to our lockers. Adam and I have lockers in the same hall and we both have biology next so he stays with me.

"You want to sleep over tonight?" Adam questions as we sit down in biology and Jenna gives us a look.

I've slept at Adam's before, not since Mike has been here of course and I lied to my mom. Audra doesn't mind since she's all but adopted me as her own and Adam's like a brother to me. Normally I'd sleep on the basement sofa but that seems like a bad idea with Mike sleeping down there now. I also haven't slept at Adam's since being back together with Eli.

"Yeah sure, as long as Eli doesn't mind but I don't think I should sleep in the basement," I tell him.

"No you can take my room, why would Eli mind?" Adam inquires.

"Duh cause it's Eli and he'd be letting his girlfriend sleep at another guy's house," Jenna remarks just as K.C. comes in followed by Luke and Becky.

"Yeah but he's my best friend and she's like my sister," Adam argues.

"She's like a sister to you, what about Drew," K.C. points out as he sits at the table with us.

"Drew's in love with Bianca, she's probably like a sister to him too," Adam shrugs.

"Then what about Dallas?" Jenna asks.

"He'll be sleeping in the basement, he won't be anywhere near her and Dallas doesn't go for girls like Clare," Adam tells them and I bite my lip.

"I'm going to movie night at Adam's after the game and was going to tell Mom I was sleeping over with you and Alli anyway," I tell Jenna just as the late bell rings.

"Well you know we'll cover for you, and if Eli doesn't want you sleeping there just come over. I'm sure the Bhandari's won't mind and we're just going to be hanging at home tonight," Jenna says and I smile as Mr. Carrigan calls the class to attention.

Class seems to drag on but finally the bell rings and I walk out with Adam, K.C. and Jenna. The four of us walking to our math functions class, Alli and Connor are already in class when we get there. It's a University track math class of course and I finish the work before everyone else. Mr. Armstrong says I can go since class is over in ten minutes so I gather my stuff and head for my locker. After stashing my books I wait for Owen at his car, their game doesn't start until five and he doesn't have to be at warm up until four which gives us about an hour and it shouldn't take that long. Owen comes out a few minutes later and we get in his car, Tris isn't with him but I don't ask why. He grabs the picture of me from the backseat and puts it in his backpack before he starts driving.

He parks out front of a brick A-frame bungalow style house, it seems to have a nice front yard but it's currently covered in snow. No one else is at his house when we get there which is a good thing, Owen unlocks the door and we go back to his room. His house is a lot like Dave's; actually he lives right down the street from Dave. It's clean and pleasant inside, with pictures everywhere and it smells like cinnamon. We take off our coats and hang them on the coat rack by the door. Owen's room is actually remarkably similar to Drew's, only a bit messier but I'm guessing Owen's mom isn't as strict as Audra. They have virtually the same color of dark blue paint on the walls; similar bedding, even some of the same poster on their walls, no wonder Drew and Owen get along so well.

"You want something to drink or anything?" He offers and I shake my head. I set my backpack down and sit on his neatly made bed; Owen sits at his desk and turns on his laptop. He types something and sits there a minute before waving me over. "Here's the site, it's all amateur pictures but yours is definitely my favorite," he says with a carnal grin. "I did a quick look and don't see any others of you," he tells me.

"Let me see," I request and he gets up.

I sit in the desk chair and start quickly looking at the pictures, there's over 100,000 and I don't have time to filter through them all but I can do a quick check for any more of me. I hear Owen open his backpack and sit on his bed while I look through a myriad of pictures as fast as I can. Most of the pictures seem to be ones the women took of themselves, of course the site says all pictures must be of persons 18 or older and I'm not even 17 yet but I'm sure Mike lied about that. It's mostly a lot of pics of naked or at least half naked females, but there are even a few pictures of males, I skip over those. All the pictures are fairly tame, that is they are of nudity and that's about it, there are a few in costumes and I even see a few of people in the act of making love or giving oral. Nothing more than that though and only the first few pictures Mike took of me were so tame, so I know not much can be on here if there are more of me on the site.

"I have to hand it to Dallas he really does have a good eye," Owen remarks from his bed. I look over to see that he's looking at my picture; it actually doesn't bother me that he's looking at it and so…fond of it. Owen's eyes are clouded by lust, a lascivious grin across his lips, but he's only looking at the picture and not at me, besides I know I can trust Owen. "You really look so coquettishly sexy, so beautifully innocent but bomb shell sexy at the same time, showing off your chest and nothing else, not quite looking at the camera giving you a hint of shyness. This is definitely my favorite picture of all time," Owen tells me.

"You can drool over it all you like just don't show it to anyone else," I request as I enter a virus into the link for my picture on the site.

"Clare, you don't really think that I'd show this to anyone else do you?" He questions sounding very hurt at my remark.

"No I don't which is why I trust you with the picture. I didn't look through all the pictures but I don't see any others of me. I entered a virus into the link for my picture, it makes the thumbnail appear blank and if someone clicks on it then they'll get an error message. It's all I can do for now and it's fixable if the site administrator finds it. I can't take the picture down though, you have to sign into the account that put up the picture and I couldn't hack Mike's account. I'll talk to him tonight and see if I can convince him to take it down," I comment shutting down Owen's laptop and standing up.

"Whoa hold it, what do you mean you'll talk to him tonight?" Owen questions setting down my picture on his bed.

"Adam, Eli and I are going to the game and then to Adam's house for movie night and I'll probably sleep over," I explain.

"Are you insane?!" Owen exclaims. "Clare I've seen what happens when you're alone with Dallas, you can't stay the night!" Owen argues.

"I've slept at Adam's before, I'll sleep in his room, away from Mike, and I was hoping you could find a way to come over after the game to be there just in case," I tell him with a slightly pleading tone.

"Yeah I'll be there and I'm not letting you alone with him," Owen assures me and I smile at him. "Come on I'll take you to your house so you can pack a bag before I drop you back at school," Owen says.

I grab my stuff; we put our jackets back on and go out to his car again, Owen locking up his house before coming to the car. Owen stops at my house and I run in to pack a bag and leave a note for mom that I'm sleeping over at Alli and Jenna's for girl's night. Jake is home, in his room with Katie when I get there and smoking pot because I can smell it.

"I'm hanging out with Eli and Adam tonight and probably sleeping at Adam's but mom thinks I'm at Alli and Jenna's," I tell my stepbrother when he comes out of his room.

"Cool," is all he says before going in his room again.

I go back out to Owen's car and he drives us back to the school, he'll be getting on the bus to go to practice soon and I am meeting Eli and Adam to go to the game.

"See you at the game," Owen says as I walk to the front steps.

I turn and smile at Owen then walk into school to find my boyfriend and spend some time with him before we leave for the game.

**Update next Wednesday with the game and movie night.**


	4. Things You Swore to be True

**RED I owe you at least two replies I will get to them by Friday I promise.**

**Ch. 4 Things You Swore to be True**

**(CLARE)**

I enter the auditorium quietly so I don't disturb Eli, although he seems to be arguing with Becky, Eli looks over when he hears the door open and smiles when he sees me.

"Sorry didn't mean to interrupt, we need to go soon," I tell Eli.

"We'll pick this up tomorrow, I'm taking my girlfriend to the game," Eli tells Becky.

Becky huffs storming out of the room, slamming the door with a resounding BANG as she leaves, the walls shake a little and I look at Eli.

"Not going well I take it?" I question Eli as he takes my overnight bag from my hand.

"I cannot work with that girl, she's impossible!" Eli responds coming over to put his arm around me.

"Find a way to make it your own Eli," I tell him.

"Come on let's go get Adam and get to this game," Eli sighs, he really doesn't want to go to this game, he might hate sports more than I do.

We walk to the music room, say hi to Imogen, Mo, Maya and Zig, the last two of which are in grade nine and I really don't know them but I've seen them hanging out with Owen's brother. Eli drives us to the game while we discuss what's on the agenda for movies tonight. The boys want horror but I veto that, Eli suggests foreign sci-fi but I want Owen to stay close by and I doubt he'll do that if he has to read subtitles, then again it might keep Mike at bay. Finally we decide on action thrillers as we we're walking into the arena. Our tickets are at the front row, and right behind the place where the Ice Hounds sit when they aren't on the ice. The screen above the ice is showing ads and player stats. I have no idea what the abbreviations mean but I'm guessing high numbers are good. Eventually music starts up and the Ice Hounds skate out led by Mike. He looks right at me and grins, giving me a cocky wave, it's a good thing Adam is sitting with us so we can pretend that Mike is waving to his billet brother. Luke skates out and Campbell Saunders, the youngest member of the team, Owen is one of the last ones to skate out he waves to me, I wave back and Eli puts an arm around me which makes me roll my eyes, his possessive side coming out always has that effect on me. Owen only gets to play for a few minutes in which time he smashes into three other people which allows Cam and Luke to make goals. The action is pretty exciting but there is a lot of violence, still I'm having fun, Mike spent most of his time on the ice and paying attention to the game so he wasn't able to watch me much. Every time he is in the box or skating back to the locker room at the end of the period he looks over at us, or rather me but Eli and Adam don't know that he's specifically looking at me. Owen waves to us as he goes off the ice and Eli always tightens his arm around me when Owen waves.

"I'm going to get a drink and some popcorn you guys want anything?" Adam questions standing up at the end of the second period.

"Some water please, thanks Adam," I smile.

"Soda and nachos too, can you carry all that?" Eli inquires taking out his wallet to give Adam some money.

"I got it, yeah I can carry it all," Adam says getting up.

Eli puts his wallet back and looks at me, "What's with you and Owen?"

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"I mean he keeps looking over here and waving at you. You have never paid attention to Owen before a few days ago," Eli says, he's not directly accusing me of anything but it's in his tone.

"Eli we're just friends, he asked for some help with his University application essays and we became friends. He's one of Drew's closest friends and he's on the same team as Mike, both of whom live with Adam, we've spent time together and he's not a bad guy," I say in defense of Owen.

"He threw Adam into a door, name one thing Owen has ever done that's been good? And another thing why do you call Dallas Mike? I saw a girl call him Mike and Dallas got pissed off about it," Eli comments.

"Mike's his name, it's how I met him," I reply.

Eli looks like he's about to speak again but the music starts up and then Adam comes back with our food and drinks. We watch the third period without speaking; I snack a little on Eli's nachos and Adam's popcorn. The game ends, the Ice Hounds win 6-4 and our side of the bleachers erupts into cheers. I stand up and cheer as does Adam but Eli remains seated, then we fight our way through the crowd to get back to Eli's car and he drives us to Adam's.

"Mom and Dad are out tonight but Mom said she left us pizza money, I'll go order, you guys pick out the movies," Adam tells us after we go in through the basement.

Eli and I start picking out movies when Drew comes home, he's alone so either he and Bianca had a fight or she's in trouble.

"I thought you'd be out with Bianca tonight," Eli comments.

"Owen called before the game and said he wanted to hang out and Bianca wanted to go to some art show with Fi and Imogen. We can hang out upstairs if you guys are having movie night," Drew offers.

"Yeah that woul…" Eli starts but I cut him off.

"No you guys should hang out with us, we're watching action thrillers and Adam is ordering pizza," I tell Drew.

"Ok cool guess we'll hang out then," Drew shrugs, "I better make sure Adam ordered enough pizza."

"What's going on Clare?" Eli asks as soon as Drew is upstairs.

"What do you mean?" I ask back sitting on the sofa.

"First flirting with Owen at the game," Eli says and I speak up before he can go on.

"Eli we were not flirting he waved to me a couple of times because we're friends, you're being paranoid," I tell him crossing my arms over my chest.

"Then why invite them to stay at our movie night?" Eli inquires.

Telling him that I'm afraid to be alone with Mike just isn't going to happen but I hate lying to him, so I find a response that isn't a lie but doesn't betray my real reason for wanting them here.

"It's not a date Eli, we're hanging out with Adam and this way he won't be a third wheel. We've only been back together for a week and you're already getting jealous and possessive," I snap at him but it is true.

"I'm sorry, you're right I'm over reacting I guess I can't believe still that we're back together," Eli says with a smile instead of a smirk for once.

I smile too as Eli pulls me to the sofa, he sits down and sets me in his lap, I drape my arms around his neck and attach our lips.

"Sorry are we interrupting sexy time? Maybe we can join in," Mike says coming in the basement followed by Owen.

"Dude," Owen admonishes him smacking Mike's arm with the back of his hand.

I slide off Eli's lap and sit next to him as Drew and Adam come down the stairs, Eli puts an arm around me holding me tight, in other words marking his territory.

"Pizzas on it's way," Adam tells me sitting on my other side before either Owen or Mike can do it.

We put in a movie and Drew closes the curtains to make it darker. Eli keeps his arm around me until the pizzas get here, I wouldn't mind that he was holding me if he was holding me to cuddle and not to claim me. Then again with Mike here Eli staking his claim on me might not be so bad at the moment. When the doorbell rings Adam pauses the movie and he goes upstairs with Drew to pay and get plates.

"I'm going to use the washroom are you going to be okay?" Eli questions.

"I'll be fine," I assure him looking over his shoulder at Owen and he nods.

Eli gets up and goes into the basement washroom locking the door behind him and I look at Mike.

"Why did you put up that picture? You swore to me that no one would ever see them besides you," I remind him in a harsh but very low voice.

"You wouldn't come see me, I had to play with something," he shrugs.

"Take it down!" I demand.

"Now why would I do that?" He inquires.

"Mike if that picture leaks out my life would be ruined! My journalism career ended before it even began. You swore to me that no one else would see those pictures Mike! Owen found the picture that means that others could find it now take it down!"

"Nice picture isn't Owen? Doesn't she just look so deliciously sexy?" Mike grins standing up and walking around the sofa to lean over me. "Her plump breasts just…" Mike starts as he moves a hand down about to drag a finger over my breasts but Owen bats his hand away.

"Don't touch her!" Owen barks keeping his voice low.

Mike glares at Owen but Eli comes out of the washroom. "I'm going to see if Drew and Adam need any help," Mike says straightening up and walking upstairs.

Owen gives me a look as Eli sits next to me and puts his arm around me again. Adam, Drew and Mike come back down the stairs a minute later and Eli lets go of me to eat. We continue the movie as we eat and when it ends put in a second. Around midnight the Torres parents come home and Audra says I can spend the night and so can Owen. We finish a third movie before Eli has to get home.

"You sure you can't come home with me?" Eli questions kissing me softly, "We'll just sleep."

Eli's offer is tempting and I really would love a night in my boyfriend's arms but I'm hoping that I can look through Mike's stuff and get rid of everything else he has of me.

"It sounds tempting but you know I'm not ready for that," I lie and Mike scoffs. "Rain check? For some time soon I promise," I assure my boyfriend after getting a look from him for Mike's scoffing.

"Okay rain check, Adam take care of her I'll see you guys tomorrow," Eli says.

"You know I will," Adam replies.

Eli smirks and joins our lips for a sweetly passionate kiss while Mike glares at us, and then Eli leaves.

"Owen you can sleep down here on the sofa, Adam will sleep on my floor and Clare will take his room," Drew tells them.

"And that means that the only people allowed in my room are me and Clare," Adam says.

I say goodnight to the others and go upstairs with Adam taking my bag. Once Adam makes sure I have everything I need he goes to get ready for bed. I change into pajamas and wait for Adam to get out of the washroom so I can brush my teeth. Eli texts that he's home safe and I reply that I love him and go into the washroom when I hear Adam get out, Drew is just coming upstairs when I'm leaving the washroom and he grins at me. Drew has a disarming grin; it's goofy and boyish and makes you grin too no matter how bad you feel. I smile back, going into Adam's room and locking the door but I don't fall asleep right away. I'm waiting, waiting for what I'm not quite sure until Owen texts me.

**Owen: Dallas is in the shower what am I looking for?**

If Mike does have the other pictures down there somewhere I don't want Owen to find them. Not that I don't trust Owen with them but I really don't want Owen to see how bad they get. So I quietly leave Adam's room, tiptoeing past Drew's dark room but I can hear the brothers talking. Swiftly but silently I go downstairs to the basement, the light is still on, so is the TV and Owen looks over at me when I come down.

"What the hell are you doing? Get back to Adam's room!" Owen commands.

"I'm looking for the other pictures and videos and anything else he might have," I reply walking toward Mike's part of the basement.

"Clare you are wearing very thin pajamas and no bra if Dal…there are videos?" Owen asks and I twist my face at him.

"Do you want to argue with me or do you want to help me find them before Mike gets out of the shower?" I inquire.

Owen sighs and follows me through the curtain; I turn on Mike's laptop and begin searching through the files. Owen meanwhile is taking a more hands on approach as he tosses Dallas' mattress up and starts rifling through the drawers.

"They're not on his laptop and he's too stupid to have any encrypted files. Maybe he stashed them in the Ice Hounds locker room or his school locker," I remark standing up and closing Dallas' laptop.

"They're on a flash drive but you'll never figure out where that is," Mike comments appearing in his room and without wearing anything at all.

"Oh dude pants," Owen scolds him, covering his eyes and turning his head away.

"Clare always liked the sight of me naked," Mike says with a cocky grin. I want to move past him but I can't seem to move at all. Mike closes the gap between us in two strides; his arm glides around my waist and presses my body to his. I bite my lip stifling a gasp or possibly a moan; my hands pressed again his sculpted chest. Mike leans his head down, his hot breath ghosting over my chest and leaving a wake of goose flesh. "Don't you Clare?" He whispers against my flesh.

Sense memory fills me, sensations I've been squashing for months flood back and I'm over taken by a memory from last summer. _…I lie on Mike's bed; we're escaping the early July heat in his air conditioned room. It's Canada Day and he promised to take me to fireworks later but a short time ago I gave him my virginity. Then he went to shower and now I lie on his bed recovering, I'm very tired and very sore, the scent of sex still lies heavy in the air and despite the AC I'm still beaded with sweat. Mike comes back in his room, still naked and wet from the shower. I roll over on my side to look at him, "I don't think I'll be able to walk tonight." "I can carry you, maybe I'll get you off again during the fireworks, actually if I carry you I think I should get a blow job during the fireworks. So maybe I should get you off again," Mike says sitting on the bed and brushing his handover my body, "maybe I should even get you off again right now." The last words leave his mouth on a husky whisper as he gets a hand between my legs… _Suddenly Mike is pulled away from me and the memory goes with him.

"I told you not to touch her!" Owen growls at him. "Clare get back upstairs and lock Adam's door," Owen instructs.

I don't even think about it I just run up the steps to the kitchen, stopping in the kitchen for a couple deep breaths. I really wish I knew what it was about Mike Dallas that makes me lose everything when I'm around him.

"Clare?" Drew asks coming into the kitchen and turning on a light, "You okay?"

"Yeah fine," I tell him turning away to wipe away my tears, "just needed a glass of water."

Drew grabs me a water glass and fills it from the filtered water in the fridge. I take it, smile at Drew, go up to Adam's room and lock the door. I manage to get to sleep but I have disturbing dreams that mix with memories of last summer all night long.

**(OWEN)**

"They're on a flash drive but you'll never figure out where that is," Dallas says.

I look over to the doorway to see that he's totally naked, not even wearing a towel, "Oh dude pants," I gripe covering my eyes and turning away.

"Clare always liked the sight of me naked," I hear Dallas say and then Clare makes a stifled noise somewhere between a frightened gasp and an anticipating moan. "Don't you Clare?" Dallas whispers and I uncover my eyes to see what's going on.

Dallas has an arm around Clare's waist and his body pressed against hers. She has her eyes closed and head down so I can't see her face but she's not fighting him. Dallas is about to kiss her neck but I grab his arm and pull him away from her as hard as I can.

"I told you not to touch her!" I bark at him. "Clare get back upstairs and lock Adam's door," I command her.

She looks a little shocked but more guilty than anything else, she gives me a quick grateful look and then takes off running. Clare runs up stairs and Dallas looks at me, laughing a little as he walks to his dresser and gets out some boxers putting them on.

"I'm still curious as to just why you care so damn much Milligan? She's not your girlfriend; you're not fucking her, although I have to tell you that you're missing out. She is fantastic in the sack and she'll do anything you tell her t…"

"Shut up!" I snarl at him pushing him against the wall with arm across his neck. "She has a boyfriend, she's happy just leave the girl alone. Get to bed, I'll be watching you!"

I let go of him and walk back out to the main part of the basement. Drew already brought me pillows and blankets and helped me set up the sofa. I keep the TV on until I hear Dallas getting in bed and click it off. I do fall asleep but wake up again a few hours later when I hear Dallas on the steps. I leap up and grab his arm, shoving him to the wall again but without having my arm across his chest this time.

"Where the hell are you going?" I inquire.

"Just thought I'd check on Clare," he tells me and I can hear the grin on his lips.

"Stay away from her, let her sleep and go back to bed," I assert.

"And if I don't?" He questions.

"Well I'm pretty sure Audra will kill you if she finds you in Clare's room, not to mention Drew and Adam. Then when they're done with you I will personally turn you into a unich. Now get back to bed," I order.

He hesitates but finally moves back down the stairs and closes the curtain partitioning his room. I go back to the sofa and listen carefully but Dallas doesn't try and get up again that night so I fall asleep again. I wake up in the morning when I hear light footsteps on the stairs, I open my eyes and watch Clare come down the stairs, she's dressed this time but she still shouldn't be down here. She smiles at me when she sees my eyes open and I get up to follow her to Dallas' room cause I know that's where she's going. She pulls the curtain back and Dallas opens his eyes, grinning almost victoriously when he sees her. He notices me too but seems to be ignoring me.

"Come for a morning orgasm?" Dallas asks her.

"Dude watch your mouth," I warn him.

"The flash drive Mike please give it to me," Clare begs him.

"Sure," Dallas says putting his arms behind his head and looking at her, "as soon as you dump that Goth loser and be with me."

"No I love Eli and we never even dated," she counters.

"So then cheat on him with me, just so long as you never do anything more than kiss him. You know you miss it Clare," he taunts.

"Last summer destroyed me, I shattered almost beyond repair and you want me to go back to that?" She says on the verge of tears and I step a little closer to her.

"I could always release more pictures of you on the net," Dallas threatens.

"You do and I will break every bone in your body," I warn him.

"What's going on?" Drew queries appearing at the bottom of the steps.

"Nothing, we were just talking about breakfast," Clare tells him quickly and just about runs back upstairs.

"Okay so what's really going on?" Drew asks me when Clare is out of the basement.

"Clare was just yelling at Dallas for being a dumb ass," I tell Drew.

"Okay well Mom is making breakfast and Eli's on his way back over so you two get dressed," Drew says and goes upstairs.

I grab my clothes from yesterday, since I never went home for a change of clothes, and go into the washroom. When I get out I'm the only one in the basement so Dallas must be upstairs. Everyone is sitting around the kitchen table while Audra is making pancakes, I don't see Omar but he might be working. Eli arrives a few minutes later, coming up from the basement because we all come in that way. Clare gets up and hugs him but when he goes to kiss her she turns her head. He looks at her but she's already pulling him by the hand to the kitchen table. She keeps hold of his hand as they sit at the table, she's wearing a very good mask of happiness but she's not happy.

This is how she is all through breakfast, on the surface she appears happy but I can tell that she's not happy. That she's holding on by a thread and that thread is being pulled tighter and tighter, and it might just snap at any second. I know that Adam knows something is wrong too because he's watching her closely. Drew doesn't notice a thing and Dallas seems to be taking pleasure in it. The one thing Eli does notice is that she's less affectionate, more than that she's shrinking from his touch almost becoming reviled by it and she looks guilty every time she does.

"You guys want to go downtown after breakfast?" Adam asks Eli and Clare.

"Yeah sounds fun," she responds.

"Sure," Eli says cautiously.

"I have to meet Eleanor and Beth at noon Drew you do the dishes," Audra orders.

"Aww Mom!" Drew complains.

"I'll help," I offer.

"Why thank you Owen," Audra smiles and Drew grins at me.

"I'm going to hop in a shower, I'll be ready in fifteen minutes," Adam tells Eli and Clare.

"That's fine; can I speak to you outside Clare?" Eli requests.

"Yeah sure," she nods.

Dallas goes back down to the basement, Drew and I start gathering up dishes and Adam goes upstairs. Eli takes Clare by the hand and out the kitchen door to the back steps that lead down to the patio. They sit on the steps and the kitchen window is open a bit, just enough that I can hear everything they are saying.

"Are you regretting getting back together?" Eli asks her.

Drew puts some dishes in the sink and then stops; we both lean against the counter to hear what they're saying.

"No Eli why would you think that?" She asks him.

"Because we've been back together less than a week and I feel like you're pulling away from me. You'll barely touch me, kiss me or even look at me. What am I supposed to think Clare?"

"I'm sorry Eli, I love you and I'm happy that we're back together," she pleads with him.

"Then what is it? Why are you turning away when I try and kiss you or touch you at all?" Eli asks her.

"I don't mean to be, I'm just…tired," she tells him in a pitiful lie.

Drew and I watch from the window as she forces herself to kiss him. Eli seems to relax but she doesn't look happy, she forces herself to stay in the kiss though.

"Dude we shouldn't be watching," I whisper hitting Drew's arm.

He nods and we get back to cleaning up but I have to wonder how long Eli and Clare's relationship will last under the pressure of Dallas.

**Update next Wednesday starting probably with Monday at school.**


	5. Not a Word is Spoken

**Thanks to everyone who has reviewed and is enjoying this story, enjoy tonight's chapter! **

**Ch. 5 Not a Word is Spoken**

**(CLARE)**

"Jake lets go I need to get to school," I call to my stepbrother Monday morning.

"What's the rush you have co-op all morning," he says.

"I have stuff to do before co-op," I shoot back.

"Alright alright I'll eat in the caf," he says grabbing the keys and his bag then we go out to his truck.

He drives us to school and I make him drop me off out front before he parks. I want to sign in for Miss Oh and go to the resource center to put together a list of proposals for Asher because I'd give anything to work on a story. I sign in at Miss Oh's class and start walking to the resource center, I walk past the Communications Technology classroom and then my waist is grabbed from behind and I'm pushed against the door after it closes. I know even before he kisses me it's Eli, I know because my body doesn't respond to his touch the way it does when Mike touches me but I wish it did. Eli's lips collide with mine and I respond to the kiss out of habit.

"Eli I have to get to co-op," I remind him pulling away after a minute.

"I know but I barely got to see you all weekend," he pouts.

"Eli you saw me all Friday night and all day Saturday," I laugh.

"Yeah but not yesterday," he smirks brushing a curl behind my ear and I bite my lip.

"I had church and family time," I tell him which is true but I was also avoiding Mike at all possible costs.

"Yeah I know but I missed you," he says.

"We'll have lunch together but I really do need to get ready for co-op," I insist.

"Okay but hang on a sec," Eli says pressing his body into mine just slightly and I bite my lip again, "I meant what I said this weekend, I want you to come and sleep over."

"My mom will never let me," I argue weakly.

"Yeah I know she doesn't let sleep at Adam's either so lie and say you're at Alli and Jenna's place," Eli shrugs with a smirk.

"I don't think…" I start and Eli looks dejected, I bite my lip swallow hard and give in. "Okay, how about Wednesday?"

"Perfect," Eli grins and kisses me but I can't kiss him back this time and he pulls away giving me a puzzled look. "Clare we'll just sleep, I know you're not ready, you trust me don't you?"

"Yeah of course," I smile.

Eli grins and kisses me again before gently moving me away from the door so he can open it. I kiss his cheek and go out to the hallway again, walking down the hall toward the resource center. I manage to round the corner before I'm grabbed once again, this time pulled into the drama classroom! The second his fingertips touch me I know it's Mike. He closes the door and locks it pulling me farther into the classroom and I go with him without a word of protest. Not because I'm happy to be with him but because my mouth no longer works. In fact I've totally forgotten the English language, I hate when that happens but it happens a lot around Mike.

He lifts me up so that I'm sitting on a desk and then his lips begin trailing opening mouth kisses along my neck. I lean back; a soft moan is strained in my throat, choking against the words I'm trying to get out. Mike opens my jacket and slides it off my shoulders, he pulls my top down so that my cleavage is exposed and squeezes my breast. I make a squeak and bite my lip. I wish my body wasn't responding the way that it is. I wish I could get a single word to come from lips, a single word of protest anyway. _"Stop! I need to go! I love Eli!" _All of this goes through my head and it all gets stopped before my lips. Mike's hand caresses the inside of my thigh over my jeans and I moan inadvertently. I'm starting to think he won't stop, that he's going to just take me here on the desk, and then the bell rings, I'm able to move and push him away a little.

"I have co-op," I'm not saying no still and the words all come from my trembling lips in a shaky voice.

"I don't care, I'm on my spare," he laughs.

"Mike I'm going to be in trouble, I have to go," I insist but my tone doesn't get any more firm.

"Fine I'll drive you then, I have Drew's keys," he tells me.

"No you can't drive me, people might see," I argue.

"Okay you run and catch the bus and I'll go have a chat with Eli, bet he'd love to see some of your pictures," Mike threatens.

"No, don't talk to Eli please, don't tell him anything, you can take me to co-op but that's it just drive me," I assert.

"Of course," he grins with more than a hint of wickedness.

Mike fixes my top and re-buttons a few buttons on my coat. He does at least have the good sense not to put his arm around me when we walk the halls. I tell Officer Turner I'm going to co-op and Mike says he's on his spare and forgot some homework at home. He lets us go and we go out to Drew's car, Mike knows how to get to the building so I don't have to give him directions.

"You know you should dump Eli, you're lying to him and he's going to figure it out," Mike taunts.

"There wouldn't be anything for him to figure out if you would just leave me alone!" I shoot back.

"Oh Clare you know that's not going to happen," Mike grins as his right hand begins caressing my leg. "You should only wear skirts from now on, it's too hard to access you with jeans on," he says in an almost scolding tone.

"It's freezing outside I can't wear skirts and no tights," I point out, "anyway we're not dating you shouldn't be touching me at all."

"We weren't dating last summer either," he replies as he pulls up to the Interpreter office.

"I didn't have a boyfriend last summer," I snap.

"And all you better do with him is kiss, unless of course you break it off with that loser and date me," Mike says. "Should I pick you up?" He asks.

"No I can get back to school on my own," I reply.

Mike gives me an interesting grin, bends his head down kisses my neck and my eyes close on their own at the feel of his lips. As soon as he's no longer touching me I jump out of the car. Running up the steps and nearly bumping into Asher.

"What's the hurry Newsie?" Asher laughs catching me by the arms before I bump into him.

"Sorry just don't want be late," I apologize awkwardly.

"You're right on time actually, is that the boyfriend," Asher questions nodding to Mike who is still in the car and watching us.

"No he's…we go to school together and he offered me a ride," I reply really not sure what else to say.

"Looked like more than just an acquaintance from school to me," Asher remarks and I bite my lip. "Well it's none of my business; I was just on my way to the Crown Attorney's office to interview him about the Carla Engler case you want to come?" Asher offers.

"I'd love to but don't I have fact checking and stuff to do?" I ask.

"Don't worry I already told Darla you were with me in the field today," Asher grins.

"Great let's go then," I smile and follow Asher to his car, Mike watches us for another second before driving away finally.

Asher unlocks his car and I get in the passenger seat, he gets in the driver's seat and starts driving while giving me an occasional glance.

"Clare I was…browsing the other night and I came across a very nice picture of you on a questionable site," Asher informs me in a calm even voice.

I freeze, my breath draining as it gets caught in my throat, my heart starts beating out of my chest and my stomach sinks and ties in knots. I'm certain he's about to fire me, then they'll have to give a reason to Miss Oh and she'll tell Principal Simpson who will tell my Mom and she'll freak out!

"What picture?" I question trying to feign ignorance; maybe I can say it's not me.

"A picture of you topless, you really have quite lovely breasts," Asher says.

I'm so worried about getting fired it doesn't occur to me to be creped out that he has the picture, or to question what he was doing on the site. I bite my lip and start wringing my hands anxiously trying to think of anything to say, anything to save my job.

"Don't worry Clare I won't say anything," Asher tells me.

"You won't?" I question in disbelief and he curls up one side of his lips into a smile.

"No it will be out little secret, I'm sure no one else has seen it. We all do stupid things as teenagers it's all part of being a teenager. Actually I think it's really a fabulous picture, you're gorgeous and very sexy, I can't stop looking at the picture. Relax Clare your job is safe," Asher assures me.

"Thanks Asher," I grin. I'm so relieved that he won't say anything that I don't think about anything else he said and I don't realize how disturbing it is. I should have thought about it, should have listened to his words, I should have been worried that he has a picture of me with no top, a picture that could ruin me.

He doesn't say anything else about it and we arrive at the Crown Attorney's office. I sit with Asher taking notes mostly although he does have me run out for coffee about halfway through the interview.

"Well I think I better just take you back to school Newsie," Asher says when we get back in his car.

"Yeah probably and thanks Asher for not saying about the picture, I know what it could do to me if it got out."

"Hey don't worry about it Newsie, you did great today by the way," Asher smiles.

He spends the rest of the drive telling me about the stupid things he did as a teenager, most of which was under the influence of alcohol. He drops me off out front, signs my paper and says he'll see me tomorrow. I wave and go inside, signing the sheet in Miss Oh's class and then walking down the hall but not to go to my locker or even find Eli. I need to find Mike; I can't just approach him if he's with a bunch of hockey players eating lunch, and they always eat together, so I send him a text.

**Clare: Meet me in the storage room now!**

I'm not actually sure he will come but I'm fairly certain he will, then I realize I'd better text Owen too or it's going to go like it did this morning.

**Clare: I need to talk to Mike, he's meeting me in the storage room please come.**

**Owen: On my way, that also explains why Dallas left the table so fast. Don't go into the room until I get there.**

Well at least I know Mike is coming and Owen will be there too. I walk to the storage room but wait around the corner until I see Owen approaching.

"What's going on?" Owen asks as he we meet in front of the door.

"Just be in there with me so it doesn't end up like this morning," I reply.

"What do you mean? What happened this morning?" Owen asks as I open the storage room door.

"What's he doing here I thought this was fun with Clare time," Mike comments when we come in, "or did you just want a double?"

"Watch your mouth," Owen warns him.

"My boss got a hold of the picture Mike I thought you took it down," I tell him with clenched teeth.

"Hey it was up for a couple of days, I can't control who gets it," he shrugs.

"What the hell do you mean your boss has it?" Owen demands.

"He didn't fire me but you can't put anymore up, he could have fired me easily," I say ignoring Owen for a moment.

"Then dump Eli and be with me," Mike responds.

"No I love Eli and I despise you," I spit back at him with venom in my tone.

"You've got a nasty tongue, of course I knew that. You say you hate me but I know what your body wants," he grins taking a step toward me, reaching his hand out to touch me and I bite my lip.

Before his skin touches mine Owen grabs his wrist, "Don't touch her," he growls at Mike.

"Just make sure the picture is down. I have to go meet Eli," I tell them and run out of the room.

Even with Owen there I almost lost control, if he hadn't been there I'm sure Mike and I would still be in that room. I see Eli in the memorial garden and push away everything else to have lunch with my boyfriend.

**(ELI)**

It was Wednesday afternoon and I'd cancelled on Becky, we were supposed to be making the final decisions for cast but I had more important stuff to do. Clare was coming over to stay the night, I told her we'd only sleep but I was hoping that we'd do more. Currently I was cleaning my room and making sure everything was perfect. My parents knew she was coming over and Ali and Jenna were covering for Clare. The doorbell rang and I ran downstairs to open it, Clare had a bag and Jake had dropped her off, I knew he wouldn't tell her mom where Clare really was.

"Hey you look great," I smile waving to Jake as he drives off before kissing Clare.

"I look exactly how I did at school," she smiles following me inside.

"And you looked great at school," I reply and she laughs.

Clare greets my parents and we go up to my room, she smiles when she sees how clean it is. Only she Adam and my parents saw it when it was at its worst, she's seen it clean before, she came over to do homework but I cleaned it up even more.

"Your room looks great," she smiles.

"Thanks would never have been this way if not for you," I reply kissing her cheek as I get her coat off. "You've been wearing a lot of dresses and skirts lately considering how cold it is outside," I comment when she shivers after I take her coat off, I hang her coat over my desk chair.

"Yeah well I wear tights or leggings with them and boots usually so it's fine," she replies with just a hint of anxiety in her voice.

"Come on I'll get you warmed up," I say taking her hand and pulling her to the bed. I fold down the covers and sit in the bed pulling her with me.

"Eli we're supposed to be doing homework," she argues.

"We'll do homework in a bit," I say pulling her onto the bed and wrapping her in my arms after pulling up the covers.

She doesn't say anything and even nuzzles into me a bit after kicking off her shoes. I hold her for a minute and then I start kissing her neck, she makes on odd noise and stiffens up a little but doesn't tell me to stop, not at first anyway.

"We should do our homework," she says after a few minutes of me kissing her neck and she gets out of my arms and the bed as fast as she can.

I sigh but grab my homework; we sit on my bed and do our homework for about an hour until it's time for dinner. Mom asks Clare a lot of questions about her co-op and Clare raves about her boss a lot. After dinner she finishes her homework at my desk while I sit on the bed.

"You want to watch a movie?" I ask when we've finished our homework.

"Sure we can watch a movie downstairs," she says.

"No I meant up here in my room," I reply and she gets stiff again. "Clare we won't do anything but watch the movie. What's wrong you're acting like you think I invited you over to rape you tonight," I comment.

"Nothing's wrong, I'm sorry Eli it's just nerves…nervous I mean, I'm nervous," she says quickly and I cock my eyebrow at her for the quick cover up.

"We'll just watch the movie while I hold you, just like at Adam's house. You know I won't push you into anything you aren't ready for," I assure her taking her hands and she smiles.

"I know, sorry Eli I love you," she smiles putting her hand behind my neck and capturing my lips for a tender kiss.

"I love you too," I smirk.

Clare sits on my bed and I put in a movie, sitting next to her on the bed and putting her in my arms. After the first movie we both get ready for bed, Clare has long pajama pants and a tank top as her pajamas and I wear pajamas bottoms with boxers. I put in another movie, we get in bed and I hold her again, this time she lays on my chest which is much nicer. She also falls asleep about halfway through the movie. I finish watching the movie then turn off the TV to go to sleep. I'm woken up in the middle of the night by Clare jolting up suddenly and she starts sobbing. I sit up putting a hand on her back but she flinches from touch.

"Are you okay Clare?"

"Fine," she responds.

"Then why are you sobbing?" I inquire with a yawn.

"It was just a bad dream go back to sleep Eli," she says.

"No you had a bad dream I'm not going back to sleep," I say putting an arm around her and she flinches again. "Was the bad dream about me?" I question.

"No why would you think that?" She asks wiping her eyes.

"Because you flinch away every time I touch you," I point out.

"It wasn't about you, it was nothing can we just go back to sleep?" Clare requests.

"Okay but I wish you would tell me what's going on," I comment lying down again.

"Nothing is going on Eli, it was just a bad dream," she snaps.

"A bad dream about what?" I prod again.

"Just stuff, please let's just go back to sleep," she begs.

"Clare…" I start but she stops me by mashing her lips to mine.

She doesn't pull away and in fact deepens the kiss; I relax cupping her face and kissing her back. Deciding to see how far she'll go I start with my hand on her hip and then move my fingertips up and get them under her shirt. She doesn't flinch or pull away so I move my fingers up her skin a little and she just kisses me harder. It's not until my fingers brush the supple flesh of her breasts that she flinches and pulls out of the kiss.

"Eli stop," she says almost as a whisper turning her head away but she hasn't removed my hand.

"Clare you…" I start and notice that she's tearing up. "Are you crying? The dream was about me."

**(CLARE)**

"No it wasn't, the dream wasn't about you Eli," I tell him again.

Actually it wasn't, the dream was about Mike and Asher. What Asher had said in the car Monday morning hadn't bothered me, not until Owen found me that afternoon. He dragged me into the empty biology classroom, the third empty classroom I had been pulled into that day. He demanded to know why Asher had the picture and why I didn't tell Owen right away. I told him that he only asked to know about Mike not Asher, to which Owen responded Asher sounds like a creep and now Owen wants to know everything he does too. Then Owen asked me everything that Asher had said that day and I told him. I admit repeating back everything I remembered that Asher had said it did sound a little creepy, and the fact that Asher was on one of those sites and not only saw the picture but also kept it was also a little creepy. But Asher is in his thirties and I was sure that Owen was overreacting. I hadn't seen Asher yesterday or today, he'd been gone for both mornings, at a conference in Ottawa. Honestly I was really glad about it but Asher had started to invade my mind and tonight I'd had a nightmare about him and Mike.

"Then what was the dream about Clare? Why are you flinching from me and why are so upset? You were distant all Saturday; you barely talked to me yesterday or Monday. And you're spending an awful lot of time with the hockey players," Eli remarks.

"I'm not spending time with the hockey players," I argue.

"I see Owen around you a lot and Dallas too," he counters.

"Owen is getting help with his University application essays," I remind him of the lie I first told him.

"Still?" Eli questions in a dubious tone.

"And some other things, he asked for help Eli and he's come a long way from the bully he was a couple years ago. The dream wasn't about you Eli, It was about…my mom," I lie.

"Okay then why don't you want me to touch you?" He asks. I bite my lip; I wish I did want Eli to touch me I don't know why I pull away, why his touch evokes that response when Mike's touch evokes an entirely different one. "Maybe we shouldn't have gotten back together, you keep being distant and…almost afraid of me. If you want to break up then just tell me," Eli says.

"_It's not you I'm afraid of," _I can't quite get the words from my lips, I can't tell him what's going on I'm too ashamed. Admitting even a portion of what I did last summer to Eli, or to anyone is just too shameful. I know I told Owen but he sort of forced it out of me. Not to mention I barely know Owen so I wasn't too concerned with what he thought of me. I know him better now, consider him a friend actually and I don't want him to find out anything else, I'm sure he will and I'll be ashamed but it's still better than Eli, Adam or anyone else that really knows me finding out. I don't want to break up with Eli, I love him and I'm happy we got back together, I don't want to lose him and I know I have to do something to fix how he feels about us right now.

"No I don't want to breakup Eli, I'm sorry I woke up and I'm sorry I pull away when you touch me. It's not you I'm just…I'm sorry, I'm being neurotic, you know how I get," I tell him forcing a smile on my face.

"Are you sure that's it?" He asks again.

"Yes that's it, that's all it is," I tell him again.

Then before he can say anything else I rest my hand at the side of his face and ensnare his lips for a passionate kiss. I use every trick I know, everything I learned from Mike I have to admit, to get him to melt into the kiss and forget the argument. It works and he rakes his fingers into my hair, then his hand falls down caressing my cheek and my neck. My instinct is to pull away but I don't, it's not that Eli's touch is reviling or anything it's just not…arousing. Where Mike's touch keeps me from thinking at all and has me reacting on nothing but instinct and the carnal desires of the flesh, with Eli's touch my brain goes into overdrive. I become anxious, worried that I might do something wrong, that he won't like what he sees, that he'll get turned off by something I do or say, I wonder how far he'll go and what he'll want and what he'll think of me after and at least a million other things.

Eli's fingers begin to caress down my chest, teasing at the neckline of my tank and I lay us both down on our sides. After a minute Eli guides me to my back, I know he wants more and I'm afraid to stop him, afraid that he'll think I want to break up or that I don't want him to touch me. This already feels weird, different than Mike and almost more shameful but I pull up my tank top exposing my midriff, Eli picks his head up breaking the kiss and smirking in the moonlight, which makes him look just a little evil. He starts kissing my belly and pulls my top up a little more, his hands graze along my skin and I tense up a little and force myself to relax. His lips come down on my breast and I stop a whimper in my throat. It feels weird, not stimulating exactly but not repulsive, it feels…strange, that's the best way I can describe it. Eli's my boyfriend and I should want him to touch me, to be intimate with him but it feels almost wrong.

I bite my lip and shut my eyes, afraid to stop him; I try to convince myself that his touch is pleasant that it's turning me on like Mike's touch. It doesn't quite work and when Eli sucks on my nipple a tear comes from my eye. I start to go back to last summer in my mind and then stop myself. Why is this so hard? Why is Eli's touch so different from Mike's? Why does one's touch elicit one response from me and the other's touch elicit a totally different response. It makes no sense! Eli stops after kissing every inch of both my breasts. He looks up and I can see him smiling, he kisses me softly and lies down next to me, pulling me into his arms.

"That was marvelous, I love you Clare," he says kissing the top of my head.

"I love you too Eli," I whisper.

He holds me closer and he falls back asleep after a short time but not me. I lie awake for hours, thinking about what we just did, remembering everything I did last summer, wondering why this was so hard for me. A lot of what Mike did last summer I didn't like after he started but Eli and I hadn't even made love and yet I feel so dirty right now. I feel like I sold my body to keep my relationship and wonder how long that will keep Eli happy and what he'll want next. Maybe I should make love to Eli, let him believe I lost my virginity to him. I contemplate this while my stomach churns with shame until I finally asleep again a little after four in the morning.

Eli's alarm wakes us up at 6:30 and I'm tired but I manage to get up and get ready for school. After breakfast and a bit of conversation with his mom we leave for school. Eli drives us of course, he parks and we get out walking past a group of hockey players including Mike who is giving me an unpleasant look but Eli doesn't notice. We walk in to school and to my locker; Eli turns to me brushing a curl behind my ear and kisses me softly.

"Last night was wonderful," he says in a low voice.

"And what did you two do last night?" Adam questions coming up and putting an arm on each of our shoulders as he pokes his head between us.

"Morning Adam," I smile kissing my friends cheek.

"Clare slept over, we shared a bed and it was magical," Eli tells him and then looks back at me. "I have to get to my locker, see you for lunch Blue Eyes?" Eli questions.

"Yeah," I nod. Eli smirks caressing my cheek and softly kissing my lips before he walks off.

"So you two seem to be good, I was worried there for a bit," Adam remarks.

"I guess we're just getting used to being a couple again," I respond. Adam grins and opens his locker; I exchange some books and then close my locker again. "See you at lunch Adam," I say, he waves and I walk down the hall to sign in at Miss Oh's class so I can go catch the bus to get to co-op.

"You want a lift to co-op?" Owen asks surprising me from behind.

"Sure thanks," I reply walking out of school with him.

"You look pretty down, are you okay? Something go wrong during your sleepover at Eli's last night?" Owen questions as we walk to his car.

"Not wrong exactly," I respond as we get in his car, "we watched a couple of movies and did homework, but I kept flinching when he touched me even though I didn't mean to. Then I woke up after a nightmare and I couldn't tell him what the nightmare was about. He started kissing me again and when I pulled away he thought I wanted to break up. We started arguing and I kissed him so we would stop. He tried to feel me up and I stopped him, we started arguing again and I kissed him again. I forced myself not to pull away and let him…fondle me to prove that his touch doesn't disgust me. He's my boyfriend I should enjoy his touch but honestly I felt dirtier after it than after some of the things I did with Mike," I confess to Owen as he drives to the Interpreter.

"Why don't you talk to him then," Owen suggests.

"And tell him what? I'm lying to him every time I tell him I'm not ready but I can't admit what I've done," I reply.

"Well why does Eli's touch bother you but you stop thinking at when Dallas touches you?" Owen inquires.

"I wish I knew," I sigh as he pulls up to the interpreter. "Thanks for the ride Owen, see you at school."

He waves and I get out of his car walking into the building and going up to the floor with the Interpreter offices. I spend the whole elevator ride contemplating my relationship with Eli.

"Oh good you're here," Asher says when he sees me walk in, "come with me Newsie."

I don't even think about it, I just turn and follow Asher out of the building.

**Update next Wednesday starting from right here and another trip to Owen's house.**


	6. Half Ecstatic, Half Dejected

**I want to thank everyone that reads and especially those that take the time to review.**

**Ch. 6 Half Ecstatic, Half Dejected**

**(CLARE)**

Mindlessly I follow Asher from the building and into his car. I'm just trapped in my head, stressing over my relationship with Eli. I'm sure that I love him but worried that I don't react to his touch the way I do to Mike's. It's only when I realize that we're headed north on Don Valley Parkway that I stop thinking about Eli and begin to get nervous about where we're headed.

"Uh Asher where are we going?" I inquire.

"There's a little spot I know," he responds.

The way he says it sounds like we're on a date, he also hasn't said anything about there being a story or this having anything to do with my internship yet.

"Okay why? What does this have to do with my co-op?" I question getting more and more anxious with every rotation of the wheels.

"Well honestly nothing," Asher admits turning off into a desolate and heavily wooded area. "However I've been staring at your picture and I can't get it out of my head," he tells me turning onto a dirt road and driving even farther into the woods. "If I'm keeping your secret then I think I should get something in return, after all I'm saving your career and reputation," he tells me, his tone slipping into lasciviousness and slime, which makes my skin crawl.

"You're insane let me out of the car!" I snap at him trying to open the door but he has it locked and he's still driving, albeit fairly slow. "I'll go to your boss, te…"

"Oh I don't think so," Asher says cutting me off. "If you come forward then I have to show them the picture. I'll say you gave me the picture and I have it on my phone, I hit one button and it gets sent out to everyone in my contacts. Now what do you think that will do to your future career, your reputation, your family, your life?" Asher questions and my heart sinks.

My stomach churns in knots and a hard lump forms in my throat as tears rush my eyes. As much as I hate it I know Asher is right and this will ruin everything. If my mom even sees the picture she'll go berserk! No good school will take me if that's on my record, Eli will leave me and if that picture comes out then so will my summer with Mike. Asher is blackmailing me, he's in his thirties and I'm sixteen, he could be about to ask me to do anything but I'm stuck. As awful as it is I have to give in because is not nearly as bad as it will get if Asher exposes the picture then everything gets ruined. Whatever Asher wants I have to give in and can't do anything about it…at the moment.

"What do you want?" I ask in a trembling voice and can hardly get the words out.

"Let's start with you taking off your jacket and top so I can see your big soft breasts in the flesh," Asher says as he parks the car.

He no longer sounds anything like a professional journalist; his voice is growling in lecherous anticipation and dripping with carnally lecherous lust. I shiver in disgust and a little fear but unbuckle my seatbelt, taking off my coat and then I remove my top for him, showing my black satin bra and Asher grins. I look down and try to cover my breasts with my arms.

"Now the bra," he instructs.

I take it off and cover my breasts again, a few minutes of humiliation so that Asher gets his sick perversions out of the way is better than him ruining my life, and he could. I look down biting my lip and don't see Asher lunging at me until it's too late. He grabs my breasts and his lips violate mine in a hard and sloppy kiss. I pull in a breath, shocked and appalled at the feel of his lips but Asher is not Mike and he's not Eli. I'm not under some spell unable to say no and he's not my boyfriend so I'm not going to let him do what he wants to keep him happy.

"STOP!" I demand in a harsh voice pushing Asher away. "You got what you wanted now take me back to school!" I'm trying to sound confident, demanding and unafraid but I'm shaking so I'm not sure that it's working.

He looks considerate like he might ask me to do more; he knows he has my head in the noose so to speak. By some miracle he doesn't, he simply starts the car again and begins driving. I exhale a grateful breath and get my clothes on as quickly as I can. I leave my coat off for now simply because it will be hard to get on while in the car. Asher drives up to the school and I realize I shouldn't be here yet, second period just started I should be at co-op another 45 minutes. I reach for the car handle and he grabs my arm forcing me to look back at him.

"Remember if you care about your career, if you care about your reputation and your family you'll keep your mouth shut," he warns me, his tone menacing, and a clear warning that if I dare to speak then he'll destroy me, I nod unable to get out any words. "See you tomorrow Newsie," he smiles releasing my arm.

I throw open the door and jump out of the car all but running back into the school, not realizing I've left my coat in Asher's car but right now I just want to be away from him. I go to my locker and start to put my book in but my hand is shaking and I keep screwing up the combination. I give up, turning against the lockers, crashing against them and sinking to the floor, bringing my knees to my chest, I take my backpack off and lay my arms on my knees, my head falling onto my arms and the tears that I've been holding in finally burst out. Sobbing hard enough to shake but sobbing silently I sit there for I'm not sure how long as I lose track of time.

"Clare?" Adam's voice is comforting but I don't look up.

"What's wrong?" Bianca questions as they each take a seat on either side of me, each putting an arm around me.

At first I think the bell has rung for lunch and I was crying so hard I didn't hear it, but then I remember that they both have a spare this period. I'm crying too hard to talk so I just shake my head.

"You want to go home?" Adam offers and I nod.

"Come on I'll take you," Bianca says.

"Where's your coat?" Adam asks and I just shake my head knowing it's in Asher's car.

They help me to stand and with each of them holding an arm they manage to get me out to Bianca's car, I shiver in the cold and they squish close to me so I get their body heat. Bianca turns the heat up as high as it will go, Adam tells her how to get to my house and I manage to find my keys in my purse.

"Thanks Bianca," I tell her in a hoarse voice when she parks in front of my house.

"No problem, whatever it is Clare it'll pass and get better," she tells me.

I nod and manage a tiny smile for her, I know she's right that this can't last forever I mean my co-op will be done in a few months and Mike will graduate, but I wonder how long I can survive like this.

"Adam can you sign out for me at Miss Oh's class please?" I request knowing Adam can forge my signature.

"Yeah sure Clare," he smiles, "you should go get some rest I'll call you later."

Grabbing my stuff I get out of Bianca's car, I'm calmer now, not shaking or crying so much but I'm still a bundle of nerves and a wreck. Still I manage to get out my key and go inside. Locking the door I go up to my room, close the bedroom door and lie on my bed. I don't cry again but I'm suddenly very tired, the stress and events of the day, of the last two weeks,have exhausted me and I fall asleep.

**(DALLAS)**

The bell rings for lunch and I leave class with Drew and Owen, Owen tells us he'll see us in the caf and walks off, he seems to be going in the direction of Clare's locker. We see Bianca and Adam in front of a classroom where Adam is signing a sheet.

"Hey Beautiful," Drew says kissing his girlfriend and then looks at his brother as he keeps an arm around his girlfriend. "What you doing little bro you don't have co-op?" Drew questions.

"I know but Clare does and we just took her home," Adam informs us and I grin at the thought that Clare's home alone.

"Yeah she was really upset and didn't have her coat," Bianca adds.

"What was wrong?" Drew questions.

"I don't know she wouldn't talk," Adam says with a worried tone. "She spent the night at Eli's last night and I know they did some stuff. Eli was happy about it but I think Clare maybe let him go farther than she wanted him to," Adam remarks and my jaw clenches.

"_If she let that fucking Goth freak fuck her I'll kill him! I told her not to do anything but kiss! Now I'm definitely going over there." _I think to myself and start walking toward the front, "See you guys I have something I gotta do," I tell them walking down the hall.

I hear Drew and Bianca telling Adam to eat with them and I already know Eli's meeting with Becky on play business. This means I have a good 45 minutes alone with a vulnerable Clare, which is just how I like her. I made myself a copy of Drew's keys and I take his car since I know they're eating in the caf. I know where Clare lives and she's only a block and a half from the school. I park a couple houses down and stroll up to the front door, which I find locked but that's no matter I've been lock picking and breaking into places since I was twelve. I've never been caught and I can break into just about anything now, I even carry the kit with me just in case I need it.

While I start picking the lock on Clare's front door I smile to myself remembering when I picked the lock on the fence at the carnival last summer. We snuck into the fun house and I fucked her in the hall of mirrors. That was a good night, watching her face in about a dozen mirrors as I fucked her hard from behind. I get the door open, slip my tools in my pocket and quietly close the front door. The bedrooms must be upstairs so that's where I go, there's four doors but only one is closed and that must be hers. I open the door and find her fast asleep on the bed, her shoes still on and everything. Bending down I seize her lips for a kiss and her eyes shoot open. She doesn't push me away, she never does, getting into her head last summer was pretty easy. When I found her she was broken, everyone had taken a little piece of her, Jake, Eli, her mom and Dad, Alli, even Adam. I put her back together, I just put her back together the way I wanted her.

"What are you doing here?" She asks sitting up rapidly when I take my lips from hers.

"Adam and Bianca said they brought you home so I came over since I knew you were alone," I grin sitting on the edge of her bed and she moves over to make room.

"Yeah well after my boss took me into the woods, blackmailed me into showing him my breasts and then kissed me I was a little upset," she says with a sharp tongue.

"Speaking of other guys touching you what the hell were doing with Eli last night?" I question keeping calm but I say it through clenched teeth.

"He's my boyfriend Mike," she responds getting off the bed, her back facing me as she leans on the desk chair.

"I know but I don't want him touching you. I told you before to break up with him and if you're not then he doesn't get to touch you except to kiss you," I remind her getting off the bed.

"He's my boyfriend, he's the only one that actually has a right to touch me," she counters biting the words out like they're hard to say.

"He's not good enough to touch you, touch you at all let alone sleep with you," I tell her coming up behind her, she turns around to spit out a response but freezes when she sees me so close.

Her breathing hitches briefly before she can speak, "That sounds funny coming from you," she responds lacing some venom into her tone.

"But you like it when I touch you," I respond brushing some hair back so I can kiss the nape of her neck.

Her breathing hitches, her body tensing the second my lips are on her skin, she grips her desk and her knees begin to shake. My lips leave a wake of goose flesh and I kiss her again, trailing open mouth kisses along her neck to the corner of her jaw and nipping her earlobe. She starts to moan and then strangles it in her throat, my fingers go up under her shirt just lightly grazing her belly and her muscles tighten under my fingertips. I stop kissing her neck and look at her, her eyes are closed, she's biting her lip, her head down a little like she's ashamed. I tilt her chin up and seize her lips again, she doesn't move but releases her lip and kisses me back, softly and timidly at first and then she gives in.

Her lips part for me allowing my tongue to snake in, I wrap my arms around her ass and pick her up, she doesn't move much but I simply turn and get her on the bed. She moans softly, her body giving in and I break the kiss pulling up her shirt a little more. Getting my fingers on her abdomen again and her muscles tighten again. Tugging the button on her jeans I get it open, then I tug a little harder forcing them to unzip and my hand goes in. She seems to be wearing G-string and I tug at it, pulling on it with one finger until I feel it go between her pussy lips and rub at the tender flesh. She whimpers and then moans slightly, I keep her G-string twisted around my finger as my thumb presses on her clit. She moans and her body jolts, then begins quivering as I rub her clit softly. I kiss her a little harder and then remove my hand, from her panties and my lips from hers.

"Now about your boss? What did he do to you?" I ask her sitting back on the bed so that I'm not touching her at all any longer.

"That was mean," she pouts in a begging tone.

"Yeah well you don't seem to talk when I touch you and I need to know what your boss did so I know what I'm killing him for," I reply leaning back against her footboard my arms behind my head.

"Mike you can't kill him he's my boss. I threatened to go to his boss and he threatened to send the picture to everyone in my contacts that he'd tell everyone I sent it to him. If it gets out then my career will be ruined before it began and it will destroy my fami…" she starts ranting so I cut her off.

"Shut up will you," I bark at her and she jumps a little closing her mouth, "I'll make sure he doesn't do anything."

"How are you going to do that?" She questions.

"I'll take care of it," I respond.

"Mike how d…" she starts and I kiss her to get her to shut up again.

"I like it better when you're not talking, I'll take care of your boss now then let's take care of you," I tell her leaning forward to take her lips again and then we hear the front door open.

"Clare?" Eli calls into the house and I growl, that little punk is just asking to be hit.

"It's Eli you have to go," she pleads pushing me away; she seems to get defiant when her little boyfriend is around, I'm really not seeing the point in letting him live at the moment.

"Why?" I question after all if Eli catches me here and thinks Clare is cheating he'll breakup with her and then I get her all to myself, unless of course I decide that someone else can play.

"Mike please," she begs, her voice trembling from fear.

It would be fun to play, to let Eli catch us and watch them breakup but I have something else to do so I give in. "Fine but I'll be back tonight, leave your window open," I tell Clare.

I hear Eli coming up the stairs and I barely make it out Clare's window before he gets in the room.

"Didn't you hear me calling?" Eli asks her as Clare jumps up.

"She heard you, she was just a little busy," I mutter as I climb down the tree and go through her backyard.

I almost drive to the Interpreter and then think better of it, instead I drive to Jimmie Simpson Park, I get out my phone, find the number for the Interpreter and call it.

"Toronto Interpreter how may I direct your call?" Chirps a voice.

"I need to speak with Asher Shostak, he'll want to speak with me right away," I reply.

"Just a moment," she chirps again and then I get transferred.

"Asher Shostak speaking," he says.

"Come to Jimmie Simpson Park, I'm in a blue Chevy sedan, meet me now," I command.

"Who is this? Why the hell would I leave work to come meet you?" He inquires.

"Because I'm the one that took that picture of Clare you like so much and I have more," I reply.

"Be there in fifteen minutes," he says and hangs up.

Geez what a perv, no wonder he was so eager to grope Clare. Asher pulls up next to me a short time later and gets out of his car, coming around to get in the passenger seat of mine.

"You got here fast," I comment when he closes the door.

"You have something I want, so how much more is there?" He queries with a lewdly eager grin.

"A lot more and I'll let you see it but you can't touch Clare anymore," I tell him.

"Wait I know you, you dropped her off the other day. No deal, you can't expect me to work so closely and not get the urge to kiss her and touch her. I got her to let me feel her up I'm sure I can get more from her and if she doesn't do it I expose the picture and totally ruin her life. If I'm not going to destroy her life then I want more than I got today," Asher replies.

"So what do you want then?"

**(CLARE)**

Mike jumps out my window just as Eli reaches the last step, having fixed my jeans I jump off the bed and rush to the door just as Eli is starting to come in.

"Didn't you hear me calling?" Eli asks.

"Sorry I was sleeping," I lie, "what are you doing here?" I ask leaning in the doorway to prevent him from going all the way into my room until I'm sure Mike is gone.

"Adam said he and Bianca brought you home when they found you crying in the hall, what happened?" Eli queries brushing a curl behind my ear and then stroking the back his fingers along my cheek gently.

"I…uh…" I fumble for a response because I can't tell him the truth, "my great aunt died." It was a terrible excuse, I don't even have a great aunt but it's all I can think of.

"Oh I'm sorry Blue Eyes, where's your mom shouldn't she be home?" Eli asks putting his arm around me and we walk back to the bed.

"It was my dad's aunt, he's uh…he's picking me up later," I reply as Eli lies on my bed and puts me in his arms.

"Guess you were close huh?" Eli queries as he starts stroking my arm.

"Yes very close," I nod but I'm not referring to my nonexistent dead great aunt, I'm referring to what Mike was doing to me a short time before Eli came in.

Actually I'm still horny and Eli is here, and he is my boyfriend. I turn in his arms until I'm lying on my side and I pull up his shirt to get my hand under. He shivers slightly from my cold fingers but smiles at me. I don't really want to touch him but I want to want to and at the moment I'm just going with the fact that I'm horny and as my boyfriend Eli should be the one to take care of it. I lift his shirt more, crane my neck down and kiss his stomach.

"Clare what are you doing?" He asks while sucking in a pleasantly surprised breath.

Rather than replying I sit up and take off my shirt, Eli looks shocked for a split second and then a very happy smile creeps across his face. I bite my lip and take off my bra, for a minute he just stares at my breasts and then he reaches for them. He squeezes a little too roughly and I bite my lip preventing a painful whimper. Eli doesn't notice as one of his hands starts trying to get the button on my jeans open but unlike Mike he's not able to easily undo it. He pulls on up on my jeans forcing them into my crotch and I suck in a breath of pain. Suddenly I don't want this, suddenly I don't want Eli to touch me and I'm not horny anymore.

"Eli stop," I tell him pushing him away and he looks at me, "I'm sorry I can't do this, please don't be mad."

"I'm not mad Clare," he tells me but he doesn't sound like he means it.

"I'm sorry it's just…I'm not thinking very clearly and I'm upset and…" I start to ramble and Eli silences me with a kiss.

"Blue Eyes it's okay, stop apologizing," Eli insists and he still doesn't entirely sound like he means it.

"I should probably get back to school," I tell him putting my bra back on and then my top.

"Let's go back to school then," Eli says standing up and taking my hand.

Since my other coat is in Asher's car I grab another from my closet, grabbing my backpack and purse we go down to Eli's car and he drives us back to school.

"Hey feeling better?" Adam asks when he sees me at my locker.

"Yeah," I smile at my best friend.

"What happened?" Adam inquires.

"Her great aunt died," Eli answers for me.

"Oh sorry Clare, you sure you want to be here? We only have biology and math," Adam points out.

"Yes I'm sure I was just really upset when I first found out, I'm okay now but can we not tell anyone why I was upset earlier?" I request.

"Of course Blue Eyes, I have play stuff after school, we have to make the final selection for cast but I can come by after," Eli offers.

"That's okay Dad's picking me up remember?" I remind him; hey at least I can keep my lies straight.

"Right well come kiss me before you leave school then," Eli says with a smirk then kisses my cheek before going to his English class.

I smile and walk with Adam to biology, I force myself to concentrate in my last two classes of the day and push away any thoughts of Mike, Asher or Eli. When the last bell of the day rings I walk out of math with Adam, K.C., Alli, Jenna and Connor.

"I'm headed to band practice, call me later if you need to," Adam tells me.

"I will," I reply and Adam leaves us.

I start heading for the auditorium to kiss Eli before I leave but I'm grabbed and pulled into a supply closet.

"You know I'm getting tired of being dragged into dark rooms," I tell Owen and I see him twist his face me by the little bit of light coming under the door.

"Why'd you come back from co-op early and then go home upset?" Owen asks but keeps his voice low.

"Don't you have a bus to catch to practice?" I question.

"Clare what happened?" Owen asks again.

"It's too much to tell you now and I'd rather not talk about it at school," I respond.

"Fine," he says pulling his keys from his pocket, "go to my house then you can take my car," he tells me handing me the keys.

"Excuse me?" I inquire thinking he's surely gone and lost his mind.

"If you're not going to tell me here then you can tell me at my house. Tris is sleeping at Tori's and my parents won't care if you're there just tell them we we're working on homework and I told you to wait there for me," he says.

"If I drive your car then how are you going to get home from practice?" I query.

"Luke can drop me off it's on his way I'll see you at my house," Owen tells me leaving the closet.

I put Owen's keys in my purse and start walking to the auditorium. Jake barely lets me drive his truck and he's my stepbrother and was my boyfriend at one point. I barely know Owen and he gave me the keys to his car and is having me wait at his empty house for him. Actually I think if it wasn't for Owen I'd have cracked by now, it's been a lot easier to talk to him than Adam or Alli or someone. It's not like Owen is a complete stranger but he also doesn't know me as well as they do. I'm not so worried about what he thinks of me or how he sees me and yet he's been protective and caring, in a lot of ways better than Eli. Speaking of my boyfriend with a penitent for black I see him standing at the auditorium doors with Imogen.

"Hey Blue Eyes," Eli smirks when I put my arm around him from behind.

"Hey just came to say goodbye, good luck with casting," I tell him kissing him softly.

"Thanks, I'll call you later," he says.

I nod, wave to Imogen and walk out the front doors just as the Ice Hounds bus is pulling away. Mike gives me an odd smile and Owen gives me a compassionate look. When the bus is out of sight I walk to Owen's car unlock it and drive to his house. No one is home when I get there and it takes me a minute to find the house key before I can get the door unlocked. I lock the door behind me and go back to Owen's room setting my stuff down, at first I sit on his bed but that feels a little weird so I sit at his desk and start on my homework. Just after five and when I'm nearly done with my homework I hear the front door opening again.

"Owen shouldn't you be at practice?" A female voice calls, which I assume to be Owen's mom.

I leave Owen's room and go out to the kitchen to make my presence known. "He is at practice, he wanted to meet me here after and let me drive his car from school. I'm Clare Edwards," I explain holding my hand out to the tall woman with dark hair.

"Oh, it's nice to meet you Clare; I'm Laura, Owen's mom, so you go to DeGrassi then?" She asks.

"Yes I'm a junior," I reply.

"Well I'm just about to start dinner will you be staying?" Laura inquires.

"Umm I'm not really sure, Owen just said to meet him after his practice," I reply feeling a bit like I'm intruding.

"You're welcome to stay, it'll just be me and Owen tonight, Tris is at a Tori's tonight and my husband Steven is working late," she tells me.

"Okay thanks, I'm going to go wait for Owen in his room," I tell her and turn to walk back there when something occurs to me. "Oh he gave me his keys so I don't think he has a way to get back in," I inform Laura.

"Ok thanks for letting me know I'll just leave the door unlocked, he should be home soon," Laura says.

I smile and go back to Owen's room, I finish my homework and then I start wandering his room. I look at the awards he's won for various sports, the trinkets on his bookshelf, and then I find a photo album. I sit down to look at it and giggle when the first picture is of a naked baby Owen; his hair was much lighter as a baby. I flip through a few pages of adorable baby Owen pictures before his voice in the doorway makes me jump.

"Oh geez don't look at those it's embarrassing," he grouses tossing his backpack into the corner and flopping on the bed next to me.

"Hey you've seen a topless picture of me from a few months ago, I should at least be able to see a naked picture of you from eighteen years ago," I point out.

"Fine just don't tell anyone you saw those, so what happened today?" He inquires.

"After you dropped at me at co-op Asher told me to go with him, I thought he was bringing me on another assignment so I went," I tell Owen.

"Where did he take you? What did he do?" Owen asks clenching his fist.

"He drove out to the woods off Don Valley Parkway; he parked the car and said he wanted to see my breasts in the flesh. I threatened to go to his boss but he told me he'd send the picture to everyone in his contacts. The mayor is in his contacts, the police chief, his editor, and he'd tell everyone I sent the picture to him which would mean I'd get fired and everything with Mike last summer would co…"

"So you let him," Owen states covering my mouth with his hand to silence my rant, I nod as a tear slips from my eye. He uncovers my mouth and wipes the tear away, "He do anything else?" Owen asks, his voice is worried and compassionate and yet growling with anger.

"He kissed me and started to grope me, I pushed him away and he took me back to school but reminded me that he'd destroy my life if I even tried to come forward," I inform Owen.

"Dinner in ten," Laura says peeking in the door and I jump a little, Owen puts a hand on my shoulder.

"I have to wash up you can tell me the rest after dinner," Owen asserts getting up and going into the washroom.

I start to walk out to the living room to ask Laura if she needs help and then my phone rings, it's Mike. "What?" I question sharply.

"Where are you?" He asks.

"Somewhere safe now what is it we're about to eat?"

"I told you I was coming over later," he replies in a scolding tone.

"Which is precisely why I'm not there," I shoot back. Actually I'm only not at home because Owen told me to go to his house but Mike doesn't need to know that.

"You should be here, I fixed your problem and you're not even here to thank me," he says.

"Fixed it how?" I inquire.

"Meet me and I'll tell you," he says.

"No," I reply.

"Excuse me? You better re-think that answer," Mike growls.

"No," I tell him quickly and hang up.

"Was that Dallas?" Owen asks coming in the room again and I nod. "You want to sleep here tonight?" Owen offers and I nod again.

I send a text to Jake to tell my mom that I'm sleeping at my dad's, and when I hit send I immediately get a text but not from Jake, from Mike.

**Mike: You shouldn't have said no to me.**

**Update next Wednesday starting from about here in Owen pov.**


	7. And Then There's You

**RED I replied again.**

**Ch. 7 And Then There's You**

**(OWEN)**

Clare sends a text, gets one back right away and she goes a little pale. Her hand shaking a bit as she grips her phone tighter, I take her phone assuming it's a text from Dallas.

**Mike: You shouldn't have said no to me.**

"You're sleeping here, he can't get to you," I assure her and she nods. "Come on let's go eat," I say to Clare taking her hand.

She takes a deep breath, forces a smile on her face and we go out to the kitchen.

"Dinner smells wonderful Laura," Clare says to my mom as we sit at the table.

"Thank you, it's just chicken rice and vegetables, nothing fancy," Mom says setting it on the table.

"Clare is having trouble at home I told her she could sleep over," I tell Mom.

"Oh sure, you're welcome anytime Clare, we'll put clean sheets in Tristan's room and you can sleep in there," Mom tells her.

"Thanks," Clare smiles.

We don't talk much over dinner; Clare is nervous but trying not to show it. We help clean up after dinner and then Mom goes to her room. Clare and I watch TV after dinner and she meets my dad when he gets home from work. I introduce as a friend but as the only girl that's ever been to my house before is Bianca I can tell that my dad thinks more is going on. I do my homework in front of the TV and Clare doesn't want to go to bed for a long time. It's about one in the morning before she says she says she's tired. I've already changed the sheets in Tris' room so it's ready for her to sleep; his room is pristine and nicer than mine because he keeps it so clean.

"I'll be just in the next room, come get me if you need anything," I tell Clare and she nods.

After I brush my teeth and go into my room I hear her in the washroom, a few minutes later she's back in Tris' room. It's been a long day and it doesn't take me long to fall asleep. I wake up at about four to go to the washroom, after I piss and I'm back in the hall I hear Clare sobbing from Tristan's room. It's very quiet sobbing, almost silent but I can hear her slightly labored breathing and the sounds of her sniffling tears. Opening the door I can just make her silhouette sitting on the bed, hunched over with her legs curled to her knees.

"You okay?" I ask sitting on the edge of the bed and putting my hand on her arm.

"I'm fine, you can go back to bed, I didn't mean to wake you," she apologizes.

"You didn't I had to use the washroom but you're crying so you're obviously not fine. What happened? Did Dallas call again?" I question brushing a curl behind her ear.

"It was just a dream, really you can go back to bed," she tells me wiping some tears away.

"Then tell me about the dream," I insist sitting on the bed all the way and leaning against the headboard to indicate I'm not going anywhere.

She turns a little, moving her arms on top of her knees, laying her head on her knees to look at me. "It was about last summer mostly, but Asher was there too and…" she pauses taking a shuddering breath and starts crying harder.

I put my hand on her back rubbing softly like I do for Tris when he's upset. Suddenly she sort of breaks down, falling against my chest and sobbing, her body shaking violently, I wrap my arms around her and hold her tight.

"It's okay Clare, I won't let either of them hurt you," I tell her.

"You can't stop them, Mike can get to me, you have no idea what last summer was like. I am so ashamed of the things Mike had me do, that I let him do. I spent the last four months trying block it all out and just when I was starting to forget he shows up at my school. The worst part is when I'm around him I feel exactly like I did that summer and I like it, the way he makes me feel not what it allows him to do. I've never been the pretty one or the sexy one; I'm always the brains, the innocent one, the sweet one, St. Clare. People still call me St. Clare and the only guy that's even looked at me standing next Alli is Eli."

"Now I know that's not true," I argue.

As she's been talking she's been relaxing in my embrace just a bit, her tears are soaking my chest but she's also resting her fingers on my pecs now and very softly caressing. I hold her a little tighter and I admit I'm enjoying the feel of her in my arms, I don't like she's crying or upset but I do like holding her and I suddenly realize I like her. Not as a friend, I have an actual crush on her! Her bottom half is covered by blanket but she's only wearing her shirt with no bra and I doubt she slept in her jeans.

"Yes it is," she counters in this adorable pout but her crying is starting to wane.

"No it isn't, you are beautiful and sexy Clare, you are one of the most beautiful and sexy girls in school," I assert.

"I've had three boyfriends, K.C. who rapidly left me for Jenna. Jake who became my stepbrother and still kissed Alli after saying he still cared about me. And Eli, the only boy to ever really fight for me and he fought a lot when we were together and when I was with Jake. I know I'm not homely but most guys hardly glance at me, especially if I'm with Jenna and Alli."

"Jenna and Alli are attractive but they are nothing compared to you. Alli has a certain exotic beauty, it's alluring to a point but it's all skin deep and she's not all that pretty if you really look at her. Jenna is just another bubbly headed blonde, she's cookie cutter, there are a million other blondes with blue eyes and boobs. Even Bianca can't compare to you, Bianca's more of a dangerous beauty, guys are intrigued by the danger, they don't know if she's going to kiss them or kick them. The only guy I've even known that could truly tame her is Drew, which explains why they've lasted so long. And then there's you. Clare you have this incredible mix of girl next door and classic Hollywood sex symbol. You're have a kind of beauty and sex appeal that almost doesn't exist anymore. You've got the figure of Mae West, the beauty of Natalie Wood, the sex appeal of Jean Harlow and the sweetness of Annette Funicello. Plus you've got more brains than most of the people at that school. Guys at school, guys anywhere don't approach you because they're afraid, because you are so out of everyone's league they are too scared to try. Only a few of the really dumb ones have ever attempted it, Fitz for example, and a few people thought they were in your league and you saw something you liked and graciously let them in."

She giggles softly and kisses my chest very quickly and very gently. Her lips so gentle and soft send a tingling rush through my body. I want so badly to kiss her, to really kiss her but she's upset already and thinking about everything she did last summer. Not to mention she has a boyfriend, I don't really like Eli but Clare is dating him and I won't screw that up, she's just as likely to end up in the arms of Dallas if something happens with her and Eli as in my arms.

"Thanks Owen," she breathes softly. "I'm surprised you know who Mae West, Jean Harlow and those are other classic movie stars are."

"Yeah well Mom's been making us watch those old timey movies since we were real young. Some of them are actually pretty good," I tell her and feel her smile.

"I wanted to be someone else last summer, I never thought it would go that far, or that Mike would show up at my school," she laments after a minute.

"I know Clare, we all make mistakes, it's part of being a teenager. I've made my share," I console her while stroking her arm gently.

We don't talk again but she doesn't seem to want me to leave so I keep holding her and we fall asleep like that. When the alarm on her phone goes off the next morning she leaps out of bed and my arms. Then realizing she's not covered, other than a top and panties, reaches down grabbing the blanket off the bed yanking so hard I fall off the bed. She looks at me a second but I'm wearing only boxers, she bites her lip but quickly turns her head.

"Sorry but please get out so I can get dressed," she requests.

"Clare nothing happened, we fell asleep and I was holding you because you were upset that's all."

"Owen please," she says in a pleading voice and near tears.

I want to tell her it's not cheating, that we just fell asleep but she's doesn't seem like she's going to listen so I leave the room. Going into my room to get dressed and then the washroom, when I come out Tristan's bed has all the covers folded and the sheets have been stripped. I expect to find Clare in the kitchen eating breakfast but she's not.

"Did you guys see Clare?" I ask my parents.

"She left a few minutes ago, said she needed to get home to change for school and she didn't want to bother you for a ride. She thanked us for letting her stay over and then she left," Mom tells me.

"I'm gonna go catch up to her," I tell my parents running to my room to get my backpack and then out the door to my car. She couldn't have gotten very far in a few minutes so I drive on the slow side and find her about a block down. "Clare get in," I tell her rolling down my window.

"I can walk, my house isn't that far," she protests.

"I don't care get in," I persist, she gives up and get in the car. "Why'd you leave? I would have taken you home to get ready for school," I tell her. She bites her lip and doesn't answer, only looking away from me. "Clare you didn't cheat on Eli, you were upset I was holding you and we were talking, we just happened to be half dressed because we had been sleeping. I won't tell anyone don't worry about it," I affirm.

"I never should have gotten you involved, I shouldn't have been at your house last night, this isn't you're problem. You barely even know me," she says as I pull up to her house. "I'll ride into school with Jake, thanks for letting me stay last night," she tells me getting out of the car and running to her house.

I consider waiting but I'd have to then explain to Jake or Glen why I'm waiting for Clare, or worse her mom, so I drive on to school. It's still pretty early but the Torres brothers are here which means that Dallas is here and I need to have a little chat with him. He's in the hall near the memorial garden talking with Luke.

"Hey I need to talk to you," I tell Dallas putting an arm around his shoulders to show that he really has no choice.

"What is it 22?" He asks when we're in the empty music room.

"Stay away from Clare, leave her alone," I tell him.

"No I want her, she'll come back, you can have her too you know. I don't mind sharing her, so long as it's under my terms. You should see her take on tw…"

"SHUT UP!" I bark at him punching him hard. "Leave her alone, go fuck some puck bunny or hook up with some other girl but leave Clare alone!"

"You don't know fuck, at least I took care of her problem," Dallas laughs holding his jaw where I hit him.

"What the hell are you talking about?" I question.

"Her co-op boss was bugging her and I took care of it," Dallas grins.

"Took care of it how?" I growl at him.

"None of your goddamn business 22," Dallas growls back.

I grab him by the collar ready to pound the answers out of him but the door opens and Miss Oh comes in.

"Principal's office," Miss Oh demands.

I let go of Dallas and we walk out of the room but we don't head for Simpson's office simply go in different directions. I look for Clare but don't see her, I do find Jake though.

"Hey where's Clare?" I ask him.

"She came in to sign her sheet and then took the truck to go to her co-op. Why?" He questions but I just turn and walk off.

I see her return at lunch, driving Jake's truck into the parking lot. I would be eating in the caf with the team but I was trying to avoid Dallas so I opted eat outside with Drew and B. Adam and Eli were sitting at a picnic table and we were eating on the steps. Clare walks up and looks in my direction first, I smile at her, she smiles back and then rapidly looks away walking quickly to Eli and Adam's table. They have their backs to her and don't notice her until she sits down next to Eli. He smiles putting an arm around her and they kiss. Clare whispers something in his ear and he gets a huge carnal grin on his face. They get up from the table, Adam smiles shaking his head, then they walk past us and Clare looks away from me.

"I'll see you class B," I tell them packing up my lunch and following Clare and Eli into the building.

I stay behind them a little, I'm far enough back that I can see them but can't hear what their saying. I can see them though, Eli looks very happy but Clare looks, nervous and anxious, sort of scared really but determined. She takes him to the back of the school, through the utility corridor and into the dark room. It's not an actual dark room for developing photos. It's a small closet, used to be a janitor's closet but that got moved when the school was renovated about ten years ago. Few kids know it even exists because the true trouble makers in the school use it to crash sometimes. Most often though it's used to do naughty things on school grounds, in a room that locks by a deadbolt from the inside and no one has the key to anymore. The location of this room is a highly guarded secret and gets passed down among the kids tight at the ravine. I know about it from Fitz, he knows because Johnny told him, how Clare knows about it I have no idea but I'm betting that they aren't going in there to sleep. I want so badly to stop her, to keep her from doing this because I know she doesn't really want to, I could see it on her face when she was bringing him in here. What irritates me is that Eli didn't see it, or maybe he did and just doesn't care because he wants to get off. I hear the door lock and consider pounding on it but I know it will just end up with me and Eli fighting which will upset Clare more so I back off. I go out of the utility corridor and wait, leaning against the wall and watching the door for them to come out. Takes about twenty minutes for them to emerge, Eli comes out with a dumbstruck grin. I know that grin, means he's gotten off. Clare comes out wiping her mouth, she looks sad and ashamed but when Eli looks back at her she smiles at him.

"You want to come eat with us?" Eli asks her.

"I have to go get some lunch and start on my homework," she responds on a deep breath.

"I've got play after school but I'll come find you," Eli tells her.

She nods and starts walking off; she starts to go to her locker and Eli starts walking out front. Clare doesn't go to her locker though once Eli is out of sight she goes into the environmental sciences room and I follow her in.

"Why would you do that?" I question closing and locking the door behind me.

"He's my boyfriend Owen, I had to. I woke up in your arms, both of us half naked; I never should have been there last night. Eli's my boyfriend I shouldn't be sleeping with another guy," she says wiping tears from her cheek.

"Clare all we did was sleep, nothing else happened. You stayed at my house because you were scared you didn't cheat on Eli I was holding you because you were crying and we fell asleep. You didn't do anything bad Clare, you shouldn't have given Eli a blow job because you felt guilty about last night, you have nothing to feel guilty for Clare," I tell her.

"I'm dating Eli I can't wake up in the arms of another boy. Eli is my boyfriend, I love him, I wanted to be with him," Clare insists.

"Really because you look ashamed for what you just did, you look like you regret it and you did it because you felt guilty. You shouldn't be giving blow jobs because you feel guilty you're worth more than that," I tell her.

"No I'm not!"

"Yes you are Clare, making one mistake or even a whole summer of them doesn't make you worthless."

"But everything I did that summer does. In the beginning Mike made me feel good, made me feel beautiful and sexy. He still made me feel those things near the end but I'd changed, I couldn't even remember the person I had been. I love and hate the way I feel when I'm around him, the things I let him do because I can't say no. I just lose all senses and I let him do anything and at first it was fine, at first I was enjoying it but then, as things got worse I'd regret it and want him to stop but the words never made it out of my mouth, I couldn't even shake my head. Do you have any idea what that's like? Like being a prisoner in your own head? Wanting so badly to say something and not being able to?" She asks.

"_Yeah I have some idea, like wanting to tell you how much I like you and how you shouldn't be with Eli."_

"At least Mike hasn't even tried to approach me or call me today and Asher wasn't at co-op today," Clare tells me and I snap out of my thoughts.

"Dallas hasn't bugged you at all?" I question.

"Nope, not a text or anything. I should go grab some lunch before the bell," she says and leaves the room before I can stop her.

**(CLARE)**

Eli had tried to kiss me Friday afternoon and I had dodged him kissing his cheek instead. I'd also been avoiding him all weekend, I just couldn't face him. I'd come back from co-op on Friday and after seeing Owen just became overwhelmed by guilt. Not because of Owen exactly but I'd been thinking about everything I'd gone through last summer, everything I'd done, everything that Eli and the others didn't know. Eli was my boyfriend, I loved him and he still thought I was an innocent virgin and waking up in the arms of another boy that morning, innocent or not, I felt terribly guilty. So I made it up to Eli the only way I could think of, Eli felt better but I felt worse after it. Owen was right I had sold myself to assuage the feeling of guilt but it hadn't worked, it had made it all worse. Eli had been calling me all weekend and I kept making excuses as to why I couldn't see him but it was Monday and I'd have to see him at school, after lunch if not before. Actually I'd avoided everyone that weekend, Adam, Owen, even my family. The only two people I didn't seem to have to avoid were Mike and Asher who seemed to be avoiding me. Jake kept looking at me on the drive to school but never asked what was wrong, or said anything at all for that matter.

"You taking the truck to co-op?" He questions when we park at school .

"Yeah," I nod.

Jake doesn't say anything else; we get out of the truck and go inside. I sign the sheet at Miss Oh's class and start to walk out again when my hand is grabbed and I flinch.

"Sorry Edwards didn't mean to scare you," Eli apologizes.

"No you didn't I was just spacing out, I'm gonna be late for co-op," I tell him.

"You've got twenty minutes," Eli argues.

"I told them I'd come early," I counter.

"Then let me drive you," Eli says.

"No I have the truck, I really have to go," I tell him kissing his cheek and I take off running.

When I get to co-op Asher isn't at his desk, I'm extremely relieved and sit down to do my work. Asher is gone for my whole co-op, just like on Friday, it's almost like he's purposely avoiding me which I find odd. I'm concerned too given that Mike said he fixed my problem. Not that I think Mike would kill Asher or something but I worry how Mike fixed the problem, that they might be planning something.

Wanting to avoid…well everyone at lunch I opt to eat in the resource center, at first I start on an article but then curiosity takes over and I go back to that site Owen showed me with my picture. I look around for other people and turn to face the wall so no one can see what's on my screen. I quickly filter through a few pictures and then I see it, a picture, a picture of me that Mike took last summer. It was from the same day as the first picture but I'm only wearing a bodice and heels in this one. Nothing on top, nothing on bottom, my legs are open and I'm leaning on my legs so that you can see everything. It's not that much worse than the first picture honestly and I'm even smiling in this one. But it's on the web and that means other people can see it. The time stamp in the source code says it was uploaded last night. I should take it down, write another virus to make the picture blank but I panic and I can't think at the moment. I shut down my laptop taking it with me and go looking for Owen. I find him in the garden flirting with a puck bunny.

"I need to talk to you," I announce disrupting his flirting.

"Little busy here," he responds without looking at me.

"There's another one," I tell him and now he looks at me.

"Excuse me Skye," Owen says to the puck bunny and then gets up to come with me. "Where?" He asks when we're away from people.

"Same site as before," I reply.

"Show me," he requests as we walk down the hall. I take him into an empty classroom and set my laptop on a desk opening it again. The picture is still there and Owen clicks on it to make it large. "Fuck that's hot!" Owen exclaims when he sees the picture.

"I have to get it down," I tell Owen coming to my senses a little. I take the laptop back, writing in a virus and it cuts off the link to the picture. If Mike finds it he just needs to upload the picture again though. "I don't know how long that will work, I have to talk to Mike, he can't keep putting these up," I comment closing my laptop again.

"No if you talk to him he's just going to get you to do something. I'll talk to him," Owen says.

"You'll just get yourself in trouble, this is my mess I'll deal with it, I never should have gotten you involved," I say grabbing the laptop and running out of the room as fast as I can.

"Clare," Owen calls after me but I keep running.

After stashing my laptop in my locker I go looking for Mike and then get a better idea. I text him to meet me under the bleachers at the far side of the lacrosse field and I go out through the back door. I'm under the bleachers only a minute before I hear someone else coming and I look over to see Mike walking up.

"You summoned?" He questions coming toward me but I step back.

"Stop putting up the pictures, you promised me," I tell him.

"The rules have changed, anyway I don't know how much longer I can keep Asher away," he tells me taking a step toward me again and I step back again.

"He hasn't been in the office when I've been there because of you, what did you tell him?" I ask.

"Meet me after practice and I'll tell you," Mike responds.

"No, I'm going to Eli's tonight take down the picture and leave me alone. Last summer is the past let me go, there are other girls at this school bother them," I tell him trying to walk away but he grabs my arm.

"The other girls at this school aren't interesting, I want you and I always get what I want Clare. I know you want it too," he says pulling me to him, his nose brushes some of my hair aside and he lightly kisses my jaw. My breathing hitches and my eyes close, I can't move or think or speak, my senses fade and I give in to his touch. "I see you with that so called boyfriend of yours; he doesn't even kiss you well and everyone at this school except me, and Owen I suppose, think you're still a virgin. In fact this entire school seems to think that you're some innocent prudish good Christian girl, which tells me that no one at this school knows you at all. I wonder what they'd think if they saw the pictures, or the videos?"

"You wouldn't! You can't! Mike please," I beg turning to him with tears in my eyes.

"Ah I love it when you beg, now here's the deal, first Asher promises not to touch you again and in fact he'll write you some glowing recommendation letters but he wants something in return," Mike tells me.

"What?" I ask.

"I'll tell you tonight, after practice, now get to class," Mike says letting go of me.

"What did you promise Asher? What if I don't meet you?" I ask.

"Then I'll post more pictures tonight and send a link to the site to everyone in the school. I'll get Drew's car and pick you up from your house at five. If you're not in the car with me by five after then I'll upload my favorite pic of you and send a link out to the school. I wonder what Eli will think? I bet he won't hop straight to anger, I'll bet he's turned on first. You know which is my favorite picture, now tell me Clare, what would you do if Eli wanted to recreate that picture? I bet you he's got a ball gag, ankle cuffs, possible even a vibrator," Mike says. I remember his favorite picture; it's arguably the worst one and was taken just a couple weeks before I went home. I remember him telling me what he wanted, I remember how I felt, I remember the sting of tears on my cheek when we were done and how incredibly ashamed I felt, how I needed to shower after and desperately tries to wash away the dirty feeling. "I'll pull up at five and you should be ready, wear something nice and don't bring anything, that includes your phone," Mike says, he starts to walk away and then turns back to me. "Oh and don't even think about running to Owen, I know he's got some unnatural attachment to you, trying to be your knight in shining armor or something. So let me make this clear if you run crying to him again then you will both regret it."

Mike walks away and I sink down, after a few minutes to collect myself I run back into school just as the bell is ringing. I grab my backpack and start running to biology when Owen steps out in front of me.

"Where have you been? Don't tell me you were talking to him alone!" Owen states.

"This isn't your problem Owen, I never should have involved you in this," I reply trying to walk past him but he grabs my arm. He's an awful lot like Mike actually; it's like two sides of the same coin.

"But I am involved, now where were you?" Owen asks again.

"Clare you okay?" Adam's voice makes us both turn around; we see not only Adam but Jenna and K.C. all of which have biology with me.

"Fine, let's get to class," I tell them as Owen lets go of my arm.

"What was that about?" K.C. questions.

"Don't worry about it," is my only answer as we walk to biology.

I can't concentrate in my last two classes; all I can think about is what Mike might have planned tonight.

"You want to tell me what's wrong now?" Adam asks as we walk out of math at the end of the day.

"Nothing Adam," I respond but I should have known my best friend better than to think he'd accept this answer.

"Clare I know something is going on, you've been weird since school started up again, since getting back together with Eli. Is that it? Is it Eli? Did he do something?" Adam questions while we walk to our lockers.

"No Eli didn't do anything, I have to go Adam," I respond.

I don't even wait for Jake, just start walking home, halfway there Jake texts me that he's doing homework at Katie's and staying for dinner. When I get home I text Mom that I'm working on a project at Adam's and someone will bring me home by curfew. Then I go to my room trying to do my homework as I watch the minutes tick by. At 4:57 I leave my room taking only my keys and wait on the front steps, Mike pulls up in Drew's car at 5:00 on the dot and I run down getting in.

"You didn't change," he scolds me when I'm in the car and he starts driving.

"Where are we going?" I question ignoring his reprimand.

"Asher's house," Mike responds.

My stomach sinks and I swallow hard, I feel like a prisoner being taken for execution and I walked myself into it. I can't let Mike do anything to Owen or send out the picture so I'll do what I have to, I just hope it doesn't destroy me.

**Update next Wednesday starting from about here.**


	8. Can I Touch You

******Hello readers! I joined twitter last night, I held out for years never wanted to join but the new episode pissed me the hell off! Anyway aside from getting angry at the DeGrassi writers and producers I'm thinking I'll actually use it to let you guys know what stories are upcoming each week on Thursday and Friday, I'll let you know that morning. I might drop hints about that nights chapter. And if any of you guest readers have twitter it might be an easier way to make requests to me and ask me questions, just be sure and let me know who you are. So if any of you care at all to follow me I'm Halawen_DFF**

**Ch. 8 ****Can I Touch You**

**(CLARE)**

We arrive at Asher's house and I can't even move, I feel gross and scared, and we haven't even done anything yet.

"What did you promise him?" I ask Mike in a shaky voice as he parks.

"You want him to back off don't you?" Mike responds.

"Mike please, he's my boss I'm not going in there if I don't know what I'm in for," I respond.

"Just come in with me," Mike asserts. He gets out of the car but I don't move, so he comes to the passenger side door, opens it and pulls me out. He's not rough or anything but he has to pull fairly hard to get me to move. "Just relax Clare, it's nothing you haven't done before," Mike says in a low voice as he walks me to Asher's front door.

"That doesn't make me feel any better," I whisper back thinking of all things I did do last summer.

Asher opens the door as soon as Mike knocks, he must have been waiting. He looks at me and gets a sickeningly carnal and anticipating smile on his lips. "Come in Clare," his voice is oozing with lascivious avidity and I shiver.

I step in with Mike pushing me a little and Asher locks the door. The sound of the deadbolt going into the wood and locking me in causes me to stop breathing, my heart starts pounding and I grip Mike. Not that I trust Mike or think he'll protect me but I know Mike, and at least he makes me feel good when he touches me or is so close I can breathe in his scent, Asher on the other hand makes me want to vomit.

"Mike I don't want to be here," I whisper to him on the verge of tears.

"Relax Clare you're much too tense, we just need to get you in the mood," Mike says and my stomach fills with butterflies and then ties in knots.

Before I can say that don't want to be in the mood Mike turns to me cupping my face and absconding my lips. I react the way I always do to Mike's touch, I lose all thought and common sense. Instead of thinking that I should run and get away I just want Mike to keep touching me. He softly bites my lower lip and my lips part for him, his tongue maneuvering in as his hands begin to lift my shirt. My senses and thoughts so entirely gone I forget that Asher is even here until he smacks my ass and then pushes himself against me so that I'm sandwiched between them. I whimper into the kiss, my body tensing again, Mike simply deepens the kiss and hooks a finger into the waistband of my jeans, keeping me pressed against him. I'm not sure how much time passes but eventually Mike releases me from the kiss, Asher steps back and I release a breath.

"Much better, she's wonderfully relaxed now," Asher says and I cringe a little.

"Let's go into the bedroom," Mike commands putting his arm around me and walking me back there.

"Undress me Clare," Asher orders, his voice gives me the chills and makes me want to vomit.

"No!" I spit back.

"You promised she'd behave," Asher growls at Mike.

"She will, you don't want Asher to spread your picture around do you?" Mike queries caressing the back of his fingers down my arms and I shake my head. "Then undress Asher, just from the waist down is all that's needed," Mike whispers in my ear.

"What am I doing here? What am I supposed to do?" I ask feeling rather like I might actually throw up at the thought of touching Asher in any way.

"You simply need to give him one of your marvelous blowjobs," Mike says.

"No! I'm not touching him," I shake my head, back up, turn and run through the doorway before they can stop me.

"I WANT HER!" Asher yells. "Your pictures aren't enough I want her now or I release the picture," I hear Asher telling Mike as I run for the front door.

I get the deadbolt open before they follow me out and I run out, down the street as fast as I can. My keys are still in my pocket but of course I didn't take anything else. Asher's house is in Liberty Village which is about 11 kilometers from my house. I run for about six blocks before I stop and break down, leaning against a wall in some alley and start crying. I feel dirty and Asher hardly touched me, Mike only kissed me, no that is not all he sold me! He told Asher I would give him a blow job to keep from having the picture released! And my life totally ruined by him saying I gave it to him but still, Mike promised something he had no right to.

I stay for a while, hidden in the alley and crying, after some time I start walking. I find a clinic and ask to make a phone call, the nurse can see that I'm upset and asks if I need a doctor. I tell her no and she says I can use the phone in the doctor's lounge, she shows me back and I pick up the phone. I almost call Eli and then think better of it, it would take too much explanation and truth is I don't want him right now, truth is I want Owen. One problem Owen put his number in my phone and I've never really looked at it so I don't recall it. I do however remember Drew's number, Adam gave it to me in case of emergency, I entered it into my phone and I can still recall it because it was an easy number.

"Hello?" Drew asks obviously confused by the number.

"Drew, it's Clare," I tell him trying to keep a steady voice but my voice falters a little and I know Drew hears it.

"Clare? Are you okay?" Drew asks, an edge of worry in his voice.

"Yeah I just need Owen's number, I…I lost my phone and I don't remember it," I tell him.

"Clare what's going on? Where are you?" Drew questions.

"I just need Owen's number, please Drew," I practically beg as I get agitated again. Drew sighs and gives me Owen's number, I write it down. "Thanks Drew and please don't tell Adam," I request.

"Fine but Clare what's going on?" He questions.

"I…he…dropped his wallet," it's a terrible lie and I realize it. "See you tomorrow Drew," I say quickly and hang up.

"Hello?" Even Owen's confused voice is rather comforting.

"It's Clare," I tell him.

"Clare? Where are you calling from?" He inquires.

"I'm at a clinic, can you come get me?"

"Yeah of course, tell me the name of the clinic," he replies.

I give him the name of the clinic and he tells me he'll be here in ten minutes. I hang up; thank the nurse at reception and go outside to wait for Owen. He's actually there in less than ten minutes; I run and get in his car as fast as I can.

"Thanks for coming," I smile.

"No problem, you want to tell me what happened?" He questions as he starts driving again.

"I can't," I shake my head.

"You want to sleep over again?" He offers and I nod.

Eli would have kept prodding until we got in a fight but not Owen; he stays silent for the drive to his house.

**(OWEN)**

"Tris is home tonight and Maya is sleeping over so you take my bed and I'll sleep on the sofa," I tell Clare when we reach my house.

"Maybe I shouldn't be here, they might tell someone I was here," she says with an anxious tone.

I can tell she's upset, that something happened but she doesn't want to talk right now and I won't force her. "I'll make sure that Tris and Maya don't tell anyone, if you want to sleep here then you should sleep here," I assert. She's silent for a moment, chewing on her lower lip as she seems to be considering. "Do you want to sleep here Clare?" I prod.

"Yes," she says softly.

"Then you'll sleep here and I'll make sure Tris and Maya tell no one," I assure her.

We get out of my car and I realize she has no stuff with her aside from her keys. I unlock the door and everyone looks at us when we come in.

"Still having trouble at home Clare?" Mom asks her.

"Yes, if it's an imposition I ca…" Clare starts but Mom cuts her off.

"Not at all Clare, you're welcome here any time," Mom tells her.

"I'm putting her in my room," I inform them and look at Tris and Maya on the sofa, "you two come help me." They get off the sofa and follow me back to my room. "Clare wait in my room, I'll be right in," I tell her and she nods going into my room. "Look Clare is having some trouble and I'm helping her but she doesn't want anyone to know that she's here so you don't tell anyone is that clear?"

"Shouldn't Eli be helping her?" Maya asks.

"Eli has problems of his own and Clare didn't want to trouble him. I'm helping her and letting her stay here because she feels safe but don't tell anyone she was here. Promise me, this is not a secret you can tell," I command.

"We'll stay quiet," Tris assures me and Maya nods.

"Good," I smile and go into my room.

"Are you sure they'll keep silent?" Clare asks me when I go into my room.

"They'll keep silent; you want to tell me what happened now?" I question.

"I can't," she shakes her head.

"Are you hungry?" I inquire and she shakes her head again.

She sits on my bed and I go back to my homework. I put on the TV and she just sits there chewing on her lip for a couple of hours and staring mindlessly at the TV. I finish my homework and watch TV with her, she just sits there staring at the TV but she's not really watching it, it's like she's watching some other movie being projected by her mind.

"We should probably get to bed," I tell Clare when it gets to be about midnight. "I'm going to set up the sofa, you can grab a shirt from my closet," I remark getting up to go out to the closet.

Clare suddenly grabs my hand and I look back at her, "Could you maybe sleep in here," she requests timidly.

"Yeah of course, let me just get some blankets and stuff," I reply.

"No umm in the bed," she says a little more firmly and when I cock an eyebrow she quickly adds, "just sleep and back to back. It's just…I…I'll feel better if you're right there." She sort of stumbles after the last part like she's embarrassed to say it but all I heard is that she feels better when I sleep next to her.

"Yeah no problem, I'll just go brush my teeth and you can change," I comment with a smile and she lets go of my hand.

Leaving my room I go to the washroom and brush my teeth, when I return to my room Clare is just getting into bed wearing only her black panties and my DeGrassi football jersey! Oh yeah sleeping next to her all night like that and not touching her is going to be torture, don't think I'll be able to think of anything else for a while but the sight of her in my jersey. She gets in bed and lies on her side with her back to me. I strip down to my boxers and shut off the light getting into bed, I keep the TV on for a while, at least until I know Clare is asleep. It doesn't take me long to fall asleep, just feeling the warmth of her body helps get me to sleep. I'm jolted from sleep sometime during the night when Clare bolts up; she's breathing hard and shaking slightly.

"You okay?" I yawn sitting up next to her.

"Yeah just a nightmare, you can go back to sleep," she says.

"What was the nightmare about?" I ask her.

Clare pulls her knees to her chest and wraps her arms around her legs. "I was a harem girl but I was the only in the harem, Asher and Mike were…they owned me I guess. I had to do anything they wanted and they wanted a lot of…" she pauses and falls back into the bed. "Even in my dream Mike's touch made me want more, but Asher's touch was reviling just as it is in reality."

I lay down next to her, on my side again but facing her this time and propped on my elbow. "Clare did Asher do something tonight?" I ask her.

"No," she answers quickly.

"Clare you can tell me," I prod.

"No I can't, I shouldn't even be here Owen," she responds turning on her side with her back to me again, "I have a boyfriend I should be with him."

"Yeah you keep reminding me you have a boyfriend but you called me tonight not him. You wanted to be here not at his house," I point out.

"Owen please just go back to sleep, I shouldn't have gotten you involved you could be hurt," she argues.

"But I am involved and I can handle Dallas," I counter.

She turns so she's on her side facing me again, we're very close, I can smell her scent and it's turning me on. I have to mentally slap myself to stop, that's the last thing she needs right now.

"Maybe you can but what about Tristan or Maya?" Clare asks.

"I can handle Dallas and he wouldn't dare do anything Tris or Maya," I respond.

"You don't know him like I do Owen. Last summer I was in a bad place, I needed Mike. But not anymore, I came back home and became Clare Edwards again. Mike wants the girl he had last summer and I can't be that girl. You don't know Mike though he can be vindictive, he can hurt you because of me or try to hurt Tris to get to me through you. It's best if you just stay out of this and stay away from me, it's better for everyone. If you or anyone gets hurt because of me I couldn't take it," Clare insists.

"Clare I…"

"Owen please," she says cutting me off and sounding like she's on the brink of tears again. "Just go to sleep, we need to sleep," she practically whispers.

I sigh and roll to my back but I don't sleep right away I'm awake for a while, thinking about Clare, Dallas, Asher and Eli. Thinking about how much I like Clare, how I have to protect her from Dallas and Asher, and how Eli is all wrong for her.

**(CLARE)**

"You sure you don't want me to wait?" Owen asks when he drops me off at home early the next morning.

"No, Maya and Tris might be able to keep secret that I slept there last night but if we all ride into school together that's going to look suspicious. Anyway I have to change and get all my stuff together. I'll see you at school," I tell Owen and get out of the car.

It's not even five, I was going to walk home but of course Owen woke up when I started getting dressed in his dark room he insisted on driving me. So he'd thrown on some clothes and brought me home but I couldn't let him stay. I quietly unlocked the door and tiptoed upstairs, Jake's coming out of the washroom just as I get to my bedroom door, he looks half asleep but his eyes open a little more when he sees me and he follows me into my bedroom.

"Where the hell were you last night?" He asks; he's not exactly worried more like angry that no one invited him to the party.

"Jake get out I need to get ready for school!" I snap at him.

"You're lucky your mom thinks you were at your dad's, so what did you do sleep at Eli's? And why was your phone here?" Jake questions.

"Jake get out, where I was is none of your business!" I tell him firmly grabbing his arm and pushing him out my bedroom door.

With my bedroom door securely locked behind my nosy stepbrother I begin changing into clean clothes. I'm ready for school by 5:30 and decide just to leave now, school won't be open but the Dot will be open soon and anyway I have homework to finish. I get to the Dot just as it's opening, I'm not very hungry but I do order some coffee. Honestly I'm kind of petrified, I haven't heard from Mike or Asher since yesterday night and I have no idea what they might do. I sit and get my homework finished by seven, it's still early but I walk to school, I'm not alone, there's several other kids here and I head to my locker to stash my books. I intend to wait near the steps for Eli, he is my boyfriend I should probably spend some time with him. I don't make it to the steps, I get pulled into a dark classroom, it's getting to be a daily occurrence.

I know instantly that it's Mike, the very second his fingertips graze my flesh my stomach muscles tighten and my body responds. He shuts the door, locks it and pushes me against the bookshelf, pinning me in place lightly with his hips. One of his hands caresses my face, combing into my hair and gripping lightly, the other simply resting on my waist. He kisses me hard and when my lips don't part he lightly nips the bottom one. Between my legs begins to burn a fire that he can douse, my stomach muscles tighten, goose flesh erupting over my skin. My eyes close and I grip his shirt with one hand as my brain switches off entirely and I become taken over by carnal needs and the fires of lascivious desire. Then he breaks the kiss and I nearly sink to the floor my legs have begun to turn to jelly. He removes his hand from my hair, his other from my waist and is no longer pinning me with his hip. He's not touching me at all actually, his arms are between my arms and my body and he still has me pinned but he's not touching me.

"Why in the hell did you run yesterday? I had a solution for your problem and you ran out," Mike says in a slightly annoyed voice.

"You sold me," I reply.

"I didn't sell you, I wasn't getting money from it, I wasn't getting anything at all from it. You think I want to see you waste your fabulous mouth on that prick of a perv? I was trying to keep him from bothering you," Mike comments in a smooth voice that's eerily calm.

"I don't ever want to touch him he's disgusting," I respond biting my lip because Mike's so close and I want to kiss him again so badly, I hate that I feel this way but my brain has shut off and my body is on.

"I wouldn't have left you alone and it was just a blow job, you are quite skilled at those," Mike says dragging a finger along my lips and then down my chin, my neck and down my chest. He stops just at my cleavage and then his touch leaves my skin just as a breath hitches in my throat.

It takes a few seconds but I can finally speak again, "If I blow him then what? What's to stop him from touching me at co-op? What if he wants more the next time? Will you let him have sex with me?"

"No of course not," Mike remarks hooking his fingers in my jeans again only this time he begins to undo the button. "You know very well the only one allowed between your legs," he says releasing the button and pulling down the zipper, "is me."

He's now got my jeans zipper down, in one swift motion he begins kissing my neck, yanks my jeans down until they're around my upper thighs and his right arm goes under my ass, he lifts me up and turns me to the teacher's desk pushing stuff off and over so that I can lean back a little. His lips are still kissing along my neck, up to my jaw, tracing it to my earlobe where he nips tenderly and I bite my lip stifling a moan. He spreads my legs with his body, guides me to lean back and pulls me forward on the desk until I'm teetering on the edge. Mike's fingers move my G-sting aside and two of his digits extend into me! I lean back on my hands, my brain totally switched off now, I've forgotten how to speak, I've forgotten the English language, I've forgotten my name, I am acting on nothing but primal desire and wanton lust. When he's done I'll probably hate myself and him a little bit more but for the moment I feel incredible!

He adds a third finger and I suck in a breath, his fingers turn and curl, he begins kissing down to my chest now and I moan lightly. He uses his other hand to pull my top down just a little and sucks at the top of my right breast, when he's successfully left a hickey he nips lightly. I moan a little louder, my hips bucking and one of my hands grips his shoulder tightly as I begin to feel like I might lose it. I bite my lip trying to control the volume of my ever increasing moans; Mike lifts his head and grins at me, which I hardly see with my eyes fluttering the way they are. His teeth gently grip my lower lip pulling it from my teeth and his lips overtake mine. He kisses me with heat, my lips become aflame, my tongue molten and melting against his, my body quaking and convulsing in such pleasure. Adding his last finger he palms my clit and I explode in volcanic climax! My hand gripping the back of his neck, pressing his lips against mine to seal in my scream of rapturous release!

As soon as I'm done he breaks the kiss and I breathe deep attempting to catch my breath. He removes his fingers rapidly and I whimper, folding over a little as my body trembles and shakes. I can hear Mike licking his fingers, I can't see him however, I'm laying back on the desk, my eyes closed and I'm beaded ever so lightly in places by sweat. I should be fixing my clothes but I can't move just yet. He licks all but his pinky which he then holds to my lips pressing the tip to my bottom lip and leaning over to whisper in my ear.

"Taste your flavor," he whispers in a husky voice laced with lust. My lips part, doing as he says because my brain has not yet turned back on, he slides his pinky along my tongue, and I lightly suck as I have not the strength for anymore. "Your body has and always will belong to me, don't forget that," he whispers in my ear and some of the lust has left his tone. "Now let me see if I can persuade you to take care of Asher," Mike says.

I expect him to touch me again, to start bringing me to another orgasm and then order me to blow Asher and pacify him. Instead Mike leaves the room but he does have the good sense to lock the door behind him. It takes me several more minutes to stop quivering, for my heart rate to slow and for me to sit up. I hop off the desk, my legs still shaking slightly as I fix my clothes, pulling my shirt up a little higher to hide the hickey on my breast. Checking my clothes over again I finally leave the classroom, I walk slowly but make it to my locker. I start to open it when I feel a hand on my back and I jump, turning around to see Drew standing behind me, his hands up indicating he meant no harm.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you," Drew apologizes. "What happened last night? Why would you need Owen's number?" He asks.

"Say it a little louder Drew I don't think everyone heard you," I snap back and he only gives me a suspicious look.

"I'm not cheating on Eli," I reply.

"I didn't think you were but why did you need Owen's number?" He questions.

I bite my lip searching for a valid reason that won't lead to more questions, I just can't think of one. Before either of us can say anything an announcement rings over the PA, "Owen Milligan to Principal Simpson's office." My heart starts pounding again, a lump forming in my throat. I look over to see Mike giving me a cocky smile and I'm sure Owen's about to be in trouble because of me. I turn around sinking against my locker, my heart is racing and all I can think is I got Owen into this, Mike is taking out the fact that I ran yesterday on Owen. I didn't have to run, it's not as though I've never given a blow job before. I could have sucked Asher off. I would have vomited right after but I would have been done with it. Instead I ran and now they're both angry, I ran out and I made everything worse!

Thoughts begin swirling in my head, too many at once, mixed with my nightmare last night and memories of last summer. The fact that I've had nothing but coffee since lunch yesterday catches up to me as all the blood rushes from my head. The hallway starts to blur and move, I reach out to steady myself and grab onto Drew as he's all that's there. He says something but I can't hear him, I do however feel his arms come around me just before I lose consciousness all together.

**Update next Wednesday from just before this in Dallas pov and what happened to Owen in the Principals office.**


	9. I Will not Lose Because You Can Win

**Thanks to everyone who has read and especially those that take the time to review.**

**Ch. 9 I Will not Lose Because You Can Win**

**(DALLAS)**

I lean against the wall watching Drew approach Clare, not sure why he needs to talk to her but I assume it's about Adam, seeing as Adam is the only thing the two have in common. Owen gets called to Simpson's office and I watch Clare go a little pale. I told Simpson that Owen was drinking on school grounds, he has detention for three weeks and he's been suspended for three games. I had Luke, Bo and Ingvar backing up my story, wasn't hard to convince them to do so as I was the captain. The team sticks together but if one of us turns on the others then we turn against him and Owen was sticking his nose where it didn't belong. Clare is mine and Owen needs to learn that, Clare too, but I was working on that. Anyway Owen hardly played as it was given that he was second string and from what I heard he was no stranger to detention. I watch as Clare grips Drew, he says something to her and then she suddenly passes out. Drew catches her, I run over, didn't actually want her to pass out.

"Clare," Drew says slightly panicked as he shakes her a little, probably an attempt to wake her up.

"What happened?" I question.

"I don't know, I was talking to her and she suddenly passed out," Drew says.

"Clare!" Adam and her idiot boyfriend exclaim at the same time as they rush to her side.

"She passed out all of sudden," Drew tells them as Clare starts to wake up.

"Hey Edwards there's those beautiful eyes," Eli smirks helping her to sit up.

Clare looks at me and clings to Eli and Adam, they help her to stand and she purposely avoids looking at me. "I'm okay, I didn't have breakfast this morning, guess I'm a little low on blood sugar," Clare says.

"Then let's take you to get something to eat," Adam comments, he and Eli each put an arm around her and walk off toward the caf.

"She's been acting weird," Drew remarks.

"Has she? I don't really know her that well," I shrug.

"Really because she's the only one I've ever seen call you by your first name and not be killed," Drew comments.

"I like her," I smirk and Drew gives me a look.

"She has a boyfriend you know," Drew replies.

"Yeah I know, never stopped me before," I shrug.

"And you know she's Adam's best friend," Drew says.

"Yeah I know but I'm better for her than her moronic boyfriend," I tell Drew patting him on the back and walking off to find Luke and a few of the others on the team.

"Hey Dallas," Luke grins when I approach some of the team in the foyer.

"Hey, so you know this play Eli is doing?" I question.

"Yeah my sister quit last night because Eli is making it into Romeo & Jules with two male leads," Luke tells me and I grin, it couldn't have worked out better if I'd planned it myself.

"I think we should get your sister back the play and do everything we can to make Eli's life miserable," I comment.

"Sounds good to me, no one takes a play from my sister," Luke smiles.

Bo, Ingvar, Jeff and Joe all nod in agreement. The bell rings and everyone else walks off to class but I'm on my spare. Owen is too but he's serving his detention since we have practice after school. Clare should have left for co-op so I call Asher, to make sure he keeps to our deal.

"What?" Asher asks when he picks up the phone.

"Just making sure you're sticking to our deal, Clare should be arriving soon," I tell him.

"Yes and I have a meeting, she'll be running coffee and fact checking, I'll hardly see her," Asher tells me.

"Good," I respond.

"How long am I expected to wait?" Asher asks with an edge of annoyance in his voice.

"I'm sure she'll change her mind in a couple of days, anyway that video should hold you over for a while," I tell him.

"Yes I very much like that video, I can't wait for her to do that on me," Asher grins and I can hear the carnal grin on his lips.

"Just keep thinking of that and I'm sure I'll have her thinking right in a couple of days," I tell him and hang up.

I spend the rest of my spare trying to decide what do to Eli and his little play. Owen gives me a glare when he sits down in business leadership class but he doesn't say anything. At lunch I get a text from Clare to meet under the bleachers at the far end of the soccer field.

"How was co-op?" I question when I get there.

"Fine, Asher barely even looked at me. What did you do to Owen?" Clare inquires.

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"He got called to Simpson's office and I'm sure it was you're doing," she tells me, she's standing at the other end of the bleachers and anytime I take a step she steps back.

"Relax, he's been suspended from a few games and has a few weeks detention. Nothing you can do for him now but if you breakup with Eli and be with me, and of course take care of Asher that one time so he stops bothering you, then I won't get him in any more trouble," I respond.

"Leave Owen alone, he has no part in this," she counters.

"Oh but he does, he's been sticking his nose in where it doesn't belong, he's been keeping you from me and you've been running to him, he is involved. You made him involved," I point out.

"Not anymore, I won't call him or go near him but leave him alone. I have to meet Eli and Adam for lunch," Clare says and runs back to school.

I watch her go, I hope she does stop having contact with Owen, I'd rather not split the team and Owen's not a bad guy. He's just getting in the way of something I want.

**(CLARE)**

"Save me a dance tonight? I feel like I've hardly seen you the last couple of days," Eli says after dropping me at home Friday afternoon.

"Of course I will," I smile.

I had spent the last three days trying to avoid everyone, I couldn't avoid Eli or Adam at all on Tuesday after I fainted, and even Drew had hovered that day. After that though it was fairly easy to avoid Eli as he and I had no classes together and he was busy with the play. Adam was a little harder to avoid but less dangerous to be around, other than worrying that I was eating he didn't ask any questions and Mike wasn't concerned with me being around Adam. My other friends like K.C. simply weren't a problem and Mike didn't care if I spent time with them. Owen was harder, I wanted to talk to him and apologize for dragging him into this and getting him suspended from a few games and detention. Every time I looked for him to apologize though Mike would appear so I finally sent him a text and told him to stay out of it. I'm not sure that he actually listened but we haven't spoken since Tuesday morning. Asher had either not been in the office or had only been around me with other people around. I could however feel him watching me constantly and that was unnerving considering I knew that Mike had shared at least some of the pictures with him.

"See you tonight Edwards," Eli smirks and drives off.

I go inside and set down my backpack, the dance tonight was a showcase for Adam's band to play and promotion for Eli's play. It was the only place I was sure I couldn't avoid everyone but there would be too many people around to make a difference. The dance was a little later than usual, not starting until nine but it was scheduled for after the Ice Hounds game which was currently going on at the arena. Owen still had to go even though he was he was suspended for the next three games. It was only four so I had lots of time, no one else was home just yet, Mom and Glen would be at work and Jake had gone home with Katie. Thus I expect to find my home empty but when I get up to my room I see an Ice Hounds jacket. It's not Mike though it's Owen.

"What are you doing here I thought you were at the game?" I question.

"I'm suspended from the game already it's not going to make a difference if I'm not at this one," Owen shrugs while I put my backpack down and sit on my bed.

"What are you doing here?" I inquire again.

"It was the only way I could talk to you," he responds.

"Owen you shouldn't be here, I told you to stay out of it. I got you involved and you got detention and suspended from three games. Mike hasn't done anything else I'm fine please go home and just stay away from me it's better for you, better for both of us," I tell him.

"I hardly play in the games anyway and I've logged plenty of hours in detention. I'm already involved and I know what you're like when you are alone with Dallas. I don't think it's better for either of us if I stay away," Owen argues.

"I told him I wouldn't have any more to do with you," I tell him.

"Why?"

"Because he already got you suspended and detention think what he'll do next time," I counter.

"I don't care what he does next time," Owen argues.

"But I do, if you get hurt it'll be my fault, Owen please I haven't had contact with Mike either. Even Asher is avoiding me, I won't go near Mike, I'm still with Eli but I don't want you getting hurt. What if you get kicked off the team?" I question.

"I don't care Clare, I don't care about the team I care abou…"

"Clare?" My mother's voice calls into the house cutting off Owen mid-sentence.

"My mom can't find you here you need to go now," I tell him pushing him toward my window.

He climbs out and looks at me like he's going to say something, changes his mind and crawls down just as I hear my mom coming up the steps.

"So you are here," Mom says coming in my door and I turn around. "Glen called, we're having dinner with some clients of his so you're on your own for dinner. Where's Jake?"

"At Katie's, you remember that we're going to a dance tonight," I comment.

"Dance?"

"Adam's band is playing, Eli's play is being promoted," I remind her.

"Oh yes of course, well home by curfew," Mom says.

"Uh I might sleep over at Alli's tonight," I call as she goes out to the hall.

"Yes fine just let us know if you do," Mom calls back.

Mom starts getting ready and a short while later Glen comes home and he starts getting ready. Meanwhile I change for the dance, a red dress and black sweater with black ankle boots. I also pack an overnight bag and then call Eli.

"Hey Blue Eyes," Eli answers.

"Hi, you think your mom would mind company for dinner?" I ask.

"Not if it's you, shall I come pick you up?"

"Yeah thanks, I'll wait outside," I reply as I hear Mom and Glen leaving.

I grab my purse and bag, and then wait on the front stoop and Eli pulls up a few minutes later. We get to his house and I can smell dinner when I walk in. His mom has made vegetable lasagna and we sit right down to dinner. After dinner Eli and I leave for the dance to help set up, stopping at the print shop to pick up the posters. Fiona, Jake, Katie, Mo, Marisol, Maya, Adam and Zig are already here. We finish setting up for the dance just as others begin arriving for the dance, and first among them is the Ice Hounds including Owen. I'm fairly certain neither Owen or Mike will approach me in such a crowd but I prefer not to take any chances so when I see Alli and Dave come in I walk over and strike up a conversation with them. Whisper Hug isn't playing yet but there is music coming through the speakers, very few people are dancing though.

"What are they doing?" Dave suddenly says cutting Alli off mid-sentence, not a smart thing to do.

I look over to see Luke defacing one of the posters for the play with two of the other Ice Hounds. "Being idiots just ignore them," I tell Dave but of course my own boyfriend decides to take them all on.

"Real original guys," Eli snaps pushing them away from the poster.

"No one's going to watch a play about a couple of homos," spits one of the other Ice Hounds shoving Eli hard.

"Not everyone is a small minded bigot," Eli shoots back getting ready to punch but I run over and grab his fist.

"Eli stop they aren't worth it, if they're causing trouble I'll go find Simpson and have them thrown out of the dance," I tell him putting my hand on his chest so that he'll calm down.

"Come on Adam's going to be on soon, come dance with me," I persist trying to get him to move.

He still won't and I can feel Mike watching us so I cup Eli's face and overtake his lips. Eli remains stiff for a few seconds but eventually he melts into the kiss. I'm able to pull him away a few steps before releasing his lips, he grins at me and we start dancing. Dave and Alli soon join us and a few others. When the song ends Whisper Hug comes on stage and they start playing. We cheer for Adam and the others, dancing to the song and clapping loud at the end. They only know one song so they come off stage when it's done and we go back to the stereo, I hug Adam congratulating him and telling him the song was great. He tells me Maya wrote it and I tell her she did amazing, more people crowd around to talk to the band and I have to use the washroom so I leave Adam to have his time in the limelight and I leave the auditorium to go to the washroom. When I get out of the washroom Mike is waiting and after checking that no one is around he takes me into a janitor's closet of all places.

"Why are you doing this? At least I assume you told your teammates to ruin the poster," I comment.

"You know why," Mike shoots back.

The closet is hardly 3 feet square and we're extremely close but he's refraining from touching me. Still he's close enough that I can smell him and I'm having to bat away memories.

"I'm not breaking up with Eli," I reply.

"Yes I'm aware, given long enough I expect he'll break up with you or do something stupid that makes you break up with him," Mike smirks.

"Then why sabotage the dance at which your own billet brother is playing?" I inquire.

"Not the dance, just the play, the one your little boyfriend is putting on," Mike replies.

"Because I won't give Asher a blow job?"

"Partly, I don't know how much longer I can keep him patient, that video won't keep him happy on its own much longer. I had to convince him not to send out the picture today," Mike informs me.

"What video did you give him?" I question clenching my fist.

"Just the very first one, the one of you giving me a blow job so wonderfully, it's keeping him happy but I don't know for how long," Mike says taking a step closer to me and now he touches me, his fingers brushing into my hair and my legs start to shake. "All you need to do is give him one blow job, you'll get him off quickly and I'll be with you the whole time. I'll even make you feel better afterward."

"What if he doesn't stop there? What if he wants more?" I question in a whisper as the desire to feel him becomes stronger.

"I'll stop him, you don't think I'd let you do something like this without a plan in place do you?" Mike asks.

I bite my lip and feel sick at the thought of touching Asher and yet want so badly for Mike to touch me. He senses or wants to touch me too as his fingers crawl around to the back of my neck and he presses his lips to mine. I shouldn't want this, I shouldn't enjoy it the way I do. I should want to kiss Eli like this, I should want Eli to touch me but I don't.

"You promise you'll be there the whole time? You aren't going to leave me with him and if he wants more you'll stop him?" I question in a whisper.

"Yes, I don't want him touching you anymore than you do but he got hold of the picture," Mike replies.

"_He never would have gotten the picture if you hadn't posted it," _I snap back in my head but none of it ever makes it from my lips. "After the dance then but we need a way to get there," I tell him.

"I can get us a car," he says releasing me from his touch and stepping back a little.

"I have to get back to Eli," I say quickly and now that he's not touching me run out of the closet and back to the dance.

Rather than head straight for Eli I head straight for the refreshment table and drink some punch trying to erase any taste of Mike from lips.

"Clare are you okay?" Adam questions when I've downed an entire glass.

"Yes, fine where's Eli?" I ask.

"He was talking with Fiona and Imogen last I saw, their official now," Adam informs me.

"That's good, I'm going to go find Eli," I reply.

"I'll take you to him, I was just over there," Adam says.

He takes my arms and pulls me through the dance; we find Eli, Fiona and Imogen. Eli smiles; I put my arm around his neck and connect our lips.

"Hey where you been?" Eli asks when I take my lips away.

"Long line at the washroom," I lie, "I hear you two are official now."

"Yep Fiona's my girlfriend," Imogen smiles.

I spend the rest of the dance talking with Imogen, Fiona and Adam. I learn that Dave and Alli went to her house to have sex and most of the Ice Hounds have been kicked out.

"You need a lift home Edwards?" Eli asks when the dance is over.

"No I'll ride home with Jake," I tell him.

I kiss him goodbye and grab my stuff from my locker before texting Mike and asking where he is. He replies back to meet him at the Dot in twenty so I start walking, when I get to the Dot I find Mike already parked there.

"This is Drew's car," I remark when I get in.

"Yes," Mike responds.

"How are Drew and Adam getting home?" I question.

"When I got kicked out Drew said to take his car and Bianca would get them home," Mike responds.

We drive to Asher's in silence and he parks out front, I bite my lip looking at the house, I very much don't want to be here or be doing this.

"How are you going to stop him from wanting more next time or doing something to me in the office?" I question.

"Because I'll be taping it and if he tries anything else then I release the video," Mike explains producing a small camera from his bag.

"How does that help me, I'll still be on the video?" I question.

"I won't show your face, it'll all be the back of your head and I have a wig for you to wear," Mike informs me.

"Mutually assured destruction, if he goes after me then you expose him on the video, ruin his reputation," I comment, it's clever but it also keeps him out of the whole thing.

He gets out of the car and I follow, I don't want to be here, I don't want to be doing this but what choice do I have. If I run again Asher will retaliate and we'll have noting on him, I doubt Mike will side with me or defend me, rather he'll find a way to use it to get what he wants. Asher opens the door before Mike even knocks, he was obviously expecting us.

"Come in Clare nice to have you back," Asher says stepping aside so we can enter.

"Let's go back to the bedroom again, Clare likes to dress up," Mike tells him pulling a blonde wig from his bag.

"She really does like it kinky," Asher smiles.

I put the wig on and follow them back to the bedroom; Mike sets down bag and starts filming as Asher stands at the end of the bed. I want to get this over with as quickly as possible so I kneel in front of Asher and unzip his pants. I pull them down with his briefs and they fall around his ankles. He smells rancid, like he's rotten, in more ways than one. He's not even fully erect, his dick is halfway limp and rather small, at least compared to the few that I've seen. I can feel my stomach churning, bile rising in my throat and I look back at Mike.

He kneels down behind me, keeping the camera rolling and brushing a curl behind my ear. Mike kisses my neck softly and whispers into my ear, "Pretend it's me."

Easier said than done but he's right if I close my eyes and pretend it's Mike or even Eli than I can get this over with quickly. I take him in my hand and rubbing him until he's stiff, then I close my eyes and take him in my mouth. It's disgusting; entirely disgusting he even tastes wrong, bitter and salty.

"Mmm she's fabulous," Asher says on a moan and I nearly throw up.

"I know taught her well, told you she was the best," Mike replies.

I try to ignore them, try to pretend Asher is Eli but he keeps talking and moaning and he doesn't sound like Eli. I go as fast as I can; using everything I know to get him to go off.

"Look up at me," Asher commands.

I open my eyes to look at him, I can't pretend he's anyone else anyway and he's close now. He grips my hair and tugs at it briefly but Mike makes him let go. Finally I feel him about to explode and I take my mouth off just as he cums. His cum shoots off and I get up running to the washroom. I rinse my mouth with water about a dozen times, someone comes in putting a hand at my back and I jump a little.

"It's only me," Mike says.

"That was gross he's disgusting," I complain wiping my mouth.

"Relax, you're done he's satisfied and I have it all on video, he won't bother you again. You can take this off now," Mike tells me taking the blonde wig off.

"I want to go now," I speak up.

"Then let's go, I've already spoken to him," Mike responds.

"That was fantastic Clare," Asher grins from the bed.

"You got what you wanted now leave her and you can't put out the picture. If you try anything else I'll hear about it and release my video," Mike tells him taking my hand and pulling me to the door.

We get in the car and I'm still trying to get Asher's taste from my mouth. I don't much care where we're going until we end up at an all-night diner.

"What are we doing here?" I inquire.

"Thought you might want to get that taste from your mouth," Mike tells me.

He gets out of the car, I follow and we sit in a booth. Mike orders pie and a shake for him, pie and hot chocolate for me.

"Thanks, that was disgusting worse than Casey," I remark after the waitress brings our drinks and pie.

Casey is one of two friends of Mike's back in Guelph, one of the only two to ever participate in our…little games shall we say. Casey the only one I'd ever given a blow job to other than Mike and of course Eli. Casey was tall with dirty blonde hair and green eyes, somewhat reminiscent of K.C. but more muscular. He was dirty though and liked to drink, his personality was more like Bruce.

"You won't have to do that again, I'll make sure he doesn't touch you ever again. If he tries then you tell me right away," Mike insists.

"And you won't bargain favors again?"

"No if he tries anything we release the video and say that he's with an underage prostitute, at least they have to investigate," Mike says.

Funny thing is I actually believe him, despite every vile thing he's done Mike does want to protect me. Not because he cares or loves me but because he wants me back, in his possession, the way he had me that summer. He won't get me that way but as long as he believes he can he's at least an ally in some ways, against common enemies like Asher. Of course he's an enemy at the same time, trying to take me from Eli and isolate me from others like Owen.

"Take me to Eli's please," I request when we're back in Drew's car.

"No, I'm not letting you sleep at that idiots, you're coming home with me. I'll tell Audra you got in a fight with your mom," Mike tells me. Doubting I have a choice I sit back in my seat. "Anyway," Mike says brushing a curl behind my ear and caressing his fingers down my cheek, "I promised to make up for making you suck off Asher."

**Update next Wednesday starting with them arriving at the Torres house.**


	10. Why Can't You See

**Ten chapters in I hope you guys are enjoying the ride. A big thanks to all the readers and to those that take time to review especially.**

**Ch. 10 Why Can't You See**

**(DALLAS)**

I park at home and we get out of the car, Clare looks happy to be here and yet she's keeping her distance from me. Rather than go in through the basement I unlock the front door and we go into the kitchen. Audra and Omar are there watching TV on the sofa and look over at us when we come in.

"Hello Dallas, and Clare," Omar says puzzled as to why we're walking in together.

"I found Clare wandering, she got in a fight with her mom," I tell them.

"Do you want to sleep here sweetie?" Audra asks.

"Yes," she barely manages to say.

"She can take my bed, I'll sleep on the sofa up here," I volunteer.

"The kids are downstairs, watching a movie but Bianca will be leaving when it's over," Audra tells us.

Putting my hand on Clare's lower back we go downstairs and all of them look over at us when we become visible.

"Uh what are the two of you doing together?" Adam questions.

"Clare got in a fight with her mom, I found her wandering," I tell them.

"Your mom said I could sleep over, Mike said I could sleep in his bed and he'll take the sofa upstairs," Clare tells them as she sits on the sofa next to Adam.

"How come your mom never lets me sleep over?" Bianca questions.

"Because she doesn't trust the two of us not to do anything, Clare isn't dating any of us," Drew responds.

We finish watching the movie with them and then Bianca has to get home, we all say goodbye to her and since it's late we all decide to go to bed.

"Can I borrow a shirt to sleep in Adam?" Clare asks after Bianca leaves.

"Yeah of course, I'll go grab one," Adam tells her.

He goes upstairs, Drew says goodnight and follows Adam upstairs and now I'm alone with Clare.

"Sleep naked," I whisper in her ear and then walk to my washroom to brush my teeth.

When I come out Clare has a shirt from Adam and goes into the washroom locking the door. I change into clean boxers; grab a pillow from bed and blankets from the closet upstairs. I make up my bed on the sofa, get comfortable and turn on the TV, watching for a couple of hours until I'm sure the rest of the house is sleeping. Then I go downstairs locking the basement door behind me and carefully going down the stairs in the dark. Once I'm down I can easily find my way around in the dark since this is my room. Pulling back the curtain I walk to the bed and crawl over it to Clare, she moves and sits up a little as I wake her up. There's very little light back here but by the bit of light there is in here I can see that she is naked, well she doesn't have a top on at least. She hasn't moved or said anything, I pull down the covers and she still doesn't move, I can't see but I put my fingers on her skin and caress down her body. I reach her hip bone and find it bare, caressing down farther I find no trace of panties and I grin especially when I hear her pull in a breath at my touch.

"You slept naked," I smile. She doesn't reply but I see her bite her lip in the dim light. "Time to make up for you having to blow Asher," I tell her.

I guide her to lie back on the bed, caressing her hair out of her face and putting my lips on her skin. I trail open mouth kisses down her neck until I reach the supple flesh of her breasts and I suck. Farther down her breast than last time so this hickey isn't visible, unless of course someone else sees her topless but her body is mine. Then I suck on her nipple, she moans gently and I graze my fingers down her body, her muscles tighten as I feel over them. Her body quivers softly and I grin against her flesh, blowing on her skin as I work my way to her other breast. This time I leave a deep hickey right under the nipple and she whimpers just slightly but her hand shoots into my hair.

Her body is bending itself to me, as it always does. After leaving the hickey I suck her nipple until it's hard, I suck hard but gentle enough that I don't hurt her. As my hand slowly grazes down her skin I reach her clit and rub softly, she moans louder, her back arching and she grips my arm. Crawling my fingers down a bit farther I urge her legs to spread open, which they do of course. With her legs open I manipulate two fingers into her, she's wet and hot, she feels like liquid velvet and I get so hard it becomes painful. Clare exhales a quivering moan, her back arches farther and she grips the bed spread. I remember this so well, Clare is the best I've ever had, there is no one like her and I must have her again. Not just tonight but the way I had her last summer, but we'll start with tonight.

Withdrawing my fingers rapidly causes her body to jerk slightly and she whimpers. I lick one finger and hold the other to her lips, she licks it clean, her body writhing and her hips bucking and begging for more. I love when her body begs but I want to hear it from her lips. I get off my boxers, rubbing myself a couple times to ease the strain, then moving between her legs. I'd love to know what's going through her mind right now, what she thinks of as I trail open mouth kisses along her belly and my tongue laps at her clit. She grips at the bed or occasionally my arms or head. My hands feel along her body, my lips, tongue and even teeth touch every single part of her pulsating body they can reach. Well almost, I keep away from her pussy, letting her get hotter, wetter and more frustrated. Her breathing increases, her body moving toward mine, I can feel her heat and it makes me smile. It only takes a few more minutes and then I hear her whine, a tiny whiny whimper coming from her lips.

"What do you want Clare?" I prod her but she just bites her lip and whines again. "Say it Clare, tell me what you want."

"Mike," she whines moving her body toward mine again.

She moans and whines all at once as I kiss her clit and her hips buck wildly. "Mike please," she breaths out with a softly begging breath.

"Please what? Leave you," I tease motioning like I'm about to get out of the bed and she grabs my arm.

"No please…" she pauses still not quite willing to say it.

"Would you like me to fuck you?" I incite her.

"Yes," she finally says on baited breath, "yes fuck me please."

"With pleasure," I grin.

I move up and thrust into her all in one movement, she folds up, lurching forward just a little as I penetrate her hard and deep. She grabs onto my shoulders, her nails digging deep into my flesh and it stings but I'm far too deep in pleasure to care. Her knees bend up, her legs gripping around me, her back arching and letting me in deeper. This is the Clare I remember, this is the Clare that I must have once more. She releases herself to the carnal rapture; her body begins to sweat as her body wiggles and her hips buck wildly. I thrust into her hard, pull out fast and thrust in hard again, my pace rapid and without restraint. Clare pulls me down to mute her screams and moans into my body. The faster I go the higher her legs go until they're wrapped around me. Looping her arms around my neck she brings herself up to scream out in raw rapturous roaring rhapsody!

"Ahhh fuck yessss!" I grunt in a primal fashion as I climax and release into her.

I thrust a couple more times before I pull out entirely, her body jerks and lurches violently when I pull out. Clare whimpers and curls on her side, breathing hard and fast, her body still spasms violently, she's drenched in sweat making her scent nearly as strong as the smell of sex. I lie on my back very satisfied, I forgot how wonderfully fantastic she feels. She's still breathing hard and shaking slightly but she suddenly sits up quite rapidly and tries to get out of bed however her legs are too shaky still.

"If you need to use the washroom I can carry you," I offer.

"No I need to leave, I need to go to Eli, we shouldn't have…I cheated on him. Last summer I was single it's different now," she says scolding herself but with an angry tone directed at me.

"You will not go to that whiny, Goth freak and fuck him out of guilt!" I reply taking her arm and pulling her back into the bed.

"He's my boyfriend Mike," she says weakly and doesn't fight me to get out of bed again.

"Don't even try and tell me you didn't love what we just did."

"You know I did but I shouldn't have, I shouldn't even be here," she says sounding like she's on the brink of tears.

"I told you I would make up for what you had to do to Asher, I know you loved what we just did just as much as I did and that you feel so incredible now. Anyway Eli isn't good for you," I tell her, stroking my fingers along her side again.

"He's my boyfriend, he loves me," she argues but more like she's trying to convince herself and not me.

"I don't think he does, I think you should break up with him and be with me," I tell her.

"Last summer I came back broken and we weren't even dating, I can only imagine what would happen if I was to be your girlfriend," she bites back with some venom in her tone.

"Just what do you think is wrong with being my girlfriend?"

"You know the scene in Star Wars where Princess Leia is in the gold bikini and chained in Jabba's palace. That's how I see it going, the chains wouldn't be iron but they would be there invisible to everyone but us, I wouldn't be your girlfriend I'd be your slave," she replies.

"Clare you don't really think I'd treat you as a slave," I argue stroking my fingers along her belly.

"I love Eli, I'm not breaking up with him," is her only response and her breaths begin to quiver again as her muscles tremble at my touch.

"Fine you can stay with him but I want you," I inform her.

"Mike y…" she begins but I put my finger on her lips to silence her.

"Come back to me, let me have you like last summer, you can even stay with that freak of a boyfriend but you will belong to me. If you don't I will make everyone else's life a hell, if I don't get what I want then I will make everyone else miserable. I will sabotage Eli's play, I will make sure Owen doesn't have a good day on or off the ice, I will start to disintegrate the lives of the people around you and then I will destroy you, little by little until I have you again," I inform her.

"You wouldn't," she challenges.

"To get you I would do anything," I reply in a tone that shows her I am not joking.

She rolls on her back and sighs heavily, I prop up on my elbow to look at her. She's biting her lip and I think I see a few tears slip from her eyes. I'm still stroking my fingers along her belly and she still trembles at my touch.

"Okay," she finally says in a barely audible voice.

"That's my girl," I grin. "You're right though this isn't last summer, things have changed and we need some rules. First your body is mine, you can kiss Eli but nothing else, if I find out you've done anything else he will pay for it. If you insist on staying with that creepy emo kid then we sneak around and I won't be unreasonable, I won't call on you during class or anything. Deny me or defy me and someone will else will pay and I'll release another picture," I enlighten her.

"What about Asher? What if he tries something else?" She questions.

"Then you tell me immediately and I'll take care of it," I respond.

"By selling me to him again?"

"No, he will never touch you again, I got the video remember, if he does anything to you then I release the video. Now that this body is mine again I want another taste," I remark and before she can speaks another word I lean down to kiss her.

Her lips part for me instantly, her body pressing into mine, I press on her clit and she moans into the kiss, parting her legs. Spreading her legs apart a little farther I worm three fingers into her easily and she moans just a bit. I stop kissing her lips and attack her breasts while I continue to finger her. Sucking, licking and squeezing her breasts as I finger her it only takes her a few minutes to climax again. Her body trembles, she bites her lip, her head going back into the pillow as she releases a long low moan, then sinks into the bed to recover her breaths.

"Sleep now, you're going to need lots of sleep, I plan to fuck you hard and often," I tell her.

She doesn't reply but kind of curls up again, I lie on my back and after pulling at her she rolls over to lie on me. Guess she was tired because she falls asleep within a short time. I stay in the bed a short while after she's asleep before I get up; grabbing another pair of boxers because I'm not sure what happened to the pair I was wearing. Then I go upstairs and get back on the sofa falling asleep happy that I have Clare again, the Clare I knew and the Clare I want. I wake up in the morning when Audra is making breakfast, because she's doing it right behind me. I didn't get much sleep but I yawn and go downstairs to get dressed. Clare opens her eyes when I come in and open my dresser drawer.

"Audra's making breakfast you should get up," I comment.

She rubs her eyes and sits up looking around the bed for her clothes but she's keeping the blanket covering her body. I pull on some jeans and a t-shirt, find her clothes and put them on the bed for her. Then I go back upstairs and sit at the table with Drew, Adam comes downstairs with Omar a few minutes later and last to join us is Clare. She doesn't say much and hardly looks at me but everyone else thinks she's upset about the fight with her mom.

"I should get home," she says quietly when breakfast is over.

"I can give you a lift, if I can borrow Drew's car of course," I comment.

"Yeah sure," he shrugs.

"I'll go with you," Adam speaks up, I figured he would.

Clare goes downstairs to gather her stuff, says goodbye to Drew, Audra and Omar, thanking them for letting her spend the night and then the three of us get in Drew's car. Her house is only a few blocks away and it only takes a few minutes to drive there, when I park at her house Jake is out front and he walks over to the car.

"Where in the hell have you been?" Jake asks her and it's easy to tell he's high.

"I spent the night at Adam's," she tells him getting out of the car.

"You're lucky I covered for you and told your mom that you went home with Alli," Jake tells her.

"Bye Adam," Clare says turning around to hug her friend.

"You owe me for covering for you," Jake informs her and I scoff at him so he glares at me.

"See you at school Clare," I comment as she gets out of the car.

She looks back to wave at us before following Jake inside and I drive me and Adam back home.

**(CLARE)**

It's Friday today, it had been a week since I'd…made the treaty with Mike, or whatever you want to call what happened that night. I was sitting in back of Drew's car with Adam while the elder Torres chauffeured us; Mike had left very early for a 7am practice since they had a game tonight. I was silent on the drive but neither brother seemed to mind. I felt very guilty for cheating on Eli that first night and Monday morning I had kissed him hard, harder than I ever had before. Eli didn't mind but I hardly felt anything in the kiss. I love Eli, I was sure I did but I didn't feel with him like I did with Mike, I didn't respond to his touch like I did with Mike. Doubt was starting creep in but I still refused to break up with Eli, I did have feelings for Eli, at the same time I was almost afraid to break up with him because then I'd end up as Mike's girlfriend and the slutty clothes and preverbal chains were sure to follow. I really wasn't sure just what my feelings for Eli truly were anymore but he was safe and I loved him…I'm sure I do.

Using the guise that I was fighting with my mom Mike had gotten me to stay over at the Torres house twice this week. Tuesday night and last night, he'd offered up his bed both nights and no one else thought it was odd. He would sleep on the sofa and then sneak down when everyone was asleep, coming into the bed to have sex. While we were having sex, while he was touching me I felt amazing, but of course as soon as we were done I was wracked with guilt and felt sick. Sick for doing what I had done and liking it. Aside from in his bed Mike had made me meet him at school Monday and Wednesday to blow him during lunch, usually right when I got back from co-op. He had wanted to use the storage room but that only locks from the outside so I had shown him the secret room, the one where I'd given Eli the blow job out of guilt and then Owen had been mad at me for it. I felt dirty, ashamed again and while we had done nothing so bad as how last summer got it was taking its toll on me and my life already. I'd begun to pull away from Eli; he of course had his play so it wasn't all that hard to avoid spending time with him. Of course Eli spoke to Adam every day and therefor thought I was fighting with my mom as well, he kept offering for me to come to his house but I kept making excuses as to why I couldn't. Adam was maybe the only person I wasn't pulling away from, I was avoiding all my other friends, my family and most of all Owen. I hadn't spoken to him or hardly looked at him since last Friday.

Then there was Asher, while he wasn't avoiding me or keeping his distance at all, he hadn't tried anything else. Even when we were alone in his office he wouldn't so much as put a hand on my shoulder. He would look at me and I could tell he was replaying Friday night in his head but it was better than him trying to touch me. Turns out Mike made him a copy of the video and Asher told me himself he watched and masturbated to it at least three times a day. So far he was controlling himself but I had to wonder if that would continue. And while he was watching his hands he did not watch his mouth, any time we were alone he would make some sort of comment, at this point though I just tuned him out.

"Clare we're at school," Adam says touching my arm and I flinch a little.

I don't respond but do get out of the truck, grabbing my backpack and wincing slightly. As great as the sex was last night Mike had fucked me really hard and I was feeling it this morning.

"You alright Clare?" Drew questions giving me a funny look as he watches me move.

"I think I pulled a muscle in my sleep last night," I respond, possibly the lamest excuse I've ever used but I really don't know what else to say.

"You should exercise more, I workout with Owen in the weight room at lunch almost every day, you should join us some time," Drew tells me. I just nod while I keep walking, lost in my head and paying no attention to anything around me. Suddenly I hear a loud car horn and Drew grabs my arm yanking me into his arms rapidly! I get pressed against his chest and blink up at him as I hear someone yelling. "Clare you almost walked in front of that car and Kenny wasn't paying any attention, he would have hit you!" Drew admonishes and I realize what just happened.

"Whoa, you okay Clare?" Bianca asks appearing suddenly and I'm still in her boyfriend's arms.

"Yeah I'm fine, sorry I was just…thinking…about my mom." Yeah they should buy that. They're still looking at me so I push away from Drew a little, putting my hand on his shoulder and kissing his cheek. "My hero," I say after the kiss and Drew lets go of me.

"Kissing other boys Edwards?" Eli's voice makes me jump. I bite my lip and go to Eli; he puts an arm around me while Drew takes Bianca into his arms. "Although he did just save your life so I guess he deserves it," Eli smirks.

"Yeah, we should probably go into school," I comment taking Adam by the sleeve so that he comes with us, Drew and Bianca follow. "Why is everyone in the courtyard looking at us?" I question.

"Because you almost walked into a car," Adam replies.

Among those in the courtyard looking at us is Owen, along with a few other Ice Hounds but Mike isn't with them. Owen is giving me a worried look but I avert my eyes and take Eli's hand. The five of us walk into school, Drew and Bianca part from us to go to their lockers, Eli walks with me and Adam to our lockers.

"You want to have lunch?" Eli questions after I put my backpack in my locker and get out my purse.

"I have to do some homework and don't you have play stuff?" I inquire.

"Then do your homework in the auditorium and be with me, please? I've hardly seen you all week," Eli persists.

"Okay sure, I'll come to the auditorium as soon as I'm back from co-op," I give in.

"You want a lift to co-op?" Eli offers.

"No you have class, I can take the bus but I have to go sign in and get going. See you at lunch," I tell Eli and then kiss him softly and quickly.

I hug Adam and then walk to Miss Oh's class to sign in, I wave to Alli as she comes to sign in and then I walk out to go to the bus stop. No sooner have I sat at the bus stop than Mike pulls up in a white car that I don't recognize.

"Get in I'll take you to co-op," Mike says.

He's taken me almost every other morning too, I think it's to make sure Asher's behaving or to remind me that he can hurt Owen and everyone else. Usually though he takes me in Drew's car.

"Don't tell me you stole someone's car just to get me to co-op," I comment as Mike starts driving.

"It's Luke's car, he let me borrow it," Mike responds. "You coming to tonight's game?"

"What reason would I have to go to an Ice Hounds game?"

"I don't know, make one up," he says.

"I should be home, anyway it's not as though I can do anything with you at the game, or even after while you're celebrating. After last night I think I need a rest anyhow," I argue.

"Fine, you can have the night off but stay at home I don't want you around that idiot creep you call a boyfriend," Mike instructs. I nod but don't respond, Mike is silent the rest of the drive and pulls up to the front to drop me off. "Should I pick you up at lunch?" Mike asks as I get out of the car.

"No safer if you don't, Eli wants me to meet him in the auditorium for lunch," I tell Mike.

"As long as it's just lunch," Mike smirks and I get out of the car.

I walk in and as soon as Asher sees me walk in he waves me into his office, I drop my purse at my desk and go in closing the door behind me.

"I enjoyed your video again last night," he grins looking at me like he's picturing it. "I have to leave for an interview but you have assignments on your desk."

"Okay," I nod.

"Oh and Clare," he says as he starts getting up from his desk and comes very close to me. "I will get tired of that video eventually and want something else," he says in a low voice.

Then he leaves the office and I don't see him for the rest of co-op. I get my paper signed by Asher's boss and take the bus back to school. I go to the caf, grab a sandwich and juice for lunch, get my backpack from my locker and go to the auditorium. Eli is doing a read through with the cast and crew, there's an empty seat next to him so I assume that's where I'm supposed to sit. Eli gives me a kiss when I sit down and then things continue, I really only have one small thing of homework for math to finish and I pull that out. Eli spends all the time with play stuff so we spend time together but barely talk. After lunch he takes me to biology and kisses me at the door. Both biology and math go by pretty quickly but I'm ready to go home when the bell rings.

"Hey, we're running through some scenes, you want to come and watch? I'll treat you to dinner afterward," Eli entices.

I do kind of just want to go home but my guilt persuades me to agree to go with him and I nod. He puts an arm around me and we walk to the auditorium, I sit next to him again and watch them rehearse. Jenna and Connor are both in it, Dave and Tris are starring in it and of course I watch Eli direct. After the play Eli takes me to dinner at our favorite Indian place. He talks mostly about the play which is fine with me as I don't really have much to say. I already texted Mom that I was going out to a late dinner with Eli, she didn't reply but I told her where I would be and so she can't get mad at me. Eli drops me off at home after dinner, the house is very dark and Mom's car is gone so I assume the rest of the house is empty and they went to dinner or Mom and Glen went out and Jake is at Katie's. I kiss Eli goodbye and get out of his car, unlock my front door and flip on the hall light so that I can see. Hanging up my coat before I go upstairs, I open my bedroom door and turn on my bedroom light, gasping a little when I see a figure with an Ice Hounds jacket in my room. Releasing a breath when I see that it's Owen and dropping my backpack on the ground.

"What are you doing here?" I inquire.

"Well you've been avoiding me for more than a week, you won't return my calls or answer my texts, you purposely avoid so much as looking at me in the halls, this is the only way I could get to talk to you," he responds.

"That's the point we're not supposed to be talking," I comment, "if we have any contact then Mike will do something to you. He's already gotten you suspended from three games and detention for three weeks what do you think will happen next time?"

"I don't care what happens to me Clare, what I want to know is what he has you doing? What did he make you do to keep Asher off your back? He's been different, calmer, nicer and you…you've been skittish, pulling away from other people or anyone else's touch including Eli's. You've been distancing yourself from your friends and were so spaced out today you nearly walked into a car so what in the hell does he have you doing Clare?" Owen asks.

"It doesn't matter and you need to go if my mom catches you here we'll both be in trouble. Worse if Mike catches you here then he'll have you thrown off the team," I warn him.

"I don't care about the team, I don't want you selling your body to him to keep me out of trouble, or anyone else," Owen counters.

"But I do, I can't save myself by sacrificing all of you, I won't do it. You don't know what I went through last summer Owen, I'm not worth it just let me g…"

I don't even finish my sentence because Owen takes my hand pulling me to him, his other hand rests at the small of my back and his lips lock onto mine! My breathing hitches and releases against his lips in a quivering breath. One of my hands rests on his chest, the other on his shoulder and my eyes close. My lips part for him as if they have a mind of their own. It's not as though as I've completely lost all sense the way I do with Mike, it's something different, something I've never felt before. Owen's tongue goes in deepening the kiss and I melt into it responding to the kiss and his touch. I don't want it to stop but a malicious sounding voice from my doorway breaks us apart.

"Well now," Jake says, I break out of the kiss and look over as does Owen, "cheating on Eli I see."

I didn't even know Jake was home, I push Owen away and glare at Jake. "Owen you should go," I tell him.

"Clare…" he starts but I cut him off.

"Owen please," I request in stronger but pleading voice and he sighs.

"The parents aren't home, you might as well go out the front," Jake smirks. Owen gives me one more look and then walks out, we hear the front door close and a few seconds later a car drives off now Jake looks back at me taking a few steps forward. "Should I call Eli and tell him about the kiss?"

"No Jake please, it wasn't…don't tell Eli," I beg him.

"What," he says taking a few more steps into the room, "do I get for not saying anything. And what about this he that you were both referring to?"

"Jake what are you doing?" I question backing up but he grabs me.

"Owen said you were selling your body, we dated, we live together so if you're selling your body to someone else I should get a taste," he comments working his fingers under the waistband of my skirt.

I look into his eyes to see them not just filled with malicious carnal lust but they are very bloodshot and I realize that he's high. I somehow doubt he's high on pot as he generally just gets giggly and stupid so I'm not sure what he's taken this time.

"Jake let go of me, get away, you're high and you don't know what you're doing," I insist pushing him away from me as much as I can.

"I know I want you," he replies.

I kick his leg and try to get out of my room but he grabs me pulling me back. He tries to shove me to the bed but he does it with too much force and I bounce off hitting my head on the dresser. It sounds like a large crack and a shooting pain goes through me and then my head starts to throb. Jake apparently finds this funny and starts advancing on me again but I kick at him and he falls back. It incapacitates him long enough that I'm able to get up, grab my phone and run out the door. I hit speed dial on my phone and keep running down the street to get away from Jake.

"Hey Clare," Adam says when he answers.

"Can you come pick me up?" I ask with a shaky voice as I try not to throw up.

"Clare what's wrong?" Adam questions.

"Adam please, I'm headed for the Dot," I beg barely able to hold it together as my head pounds and my stomach churns.

"Okay we're on our way just stay on the phone with me," Adam responds.

I hear a bunch of noises and then a car starting a few minutes later. I hear both Drew and Mike's voices so I know they're all coming and I actually feel safer knowing this. I don't quite make it to the Dot, leaning against the wall of the drug store I sink down a little.

"I'm outside the drug store, I think I might throw up," I tell Adam.

"We're almost there, we can see you," Adam says and I look up. Seeing Drew's car I run over to it and get in the back with Adam.

"Clare what happened?" Adam asks as Drew starts driving again.

"Please can we just go to your house I don't feel well," I request.

Drew starts driving and I curl up on the seat and put my head in Adam's lap, fairly certain I have a minor concussion as I feel awful. When we get to the Torres house I sit up and my head is pounding worse, Drew helps me into the house and sits me down on the sofa.

"I'll go tell Mom you're staying over," Adam says and goes upstairs.

"She's got a bump on her head get some ice," Mike commands Drew and he runs upstairs. "Did Asher do this?" Mike asks when we're alone.

"No, Jake was high and he attacked me," I inform him.

Mike gets up and goes out the door before I can say another word but this time I don't want to stop him. This time I don't care what he does to Jake because he deserves to get hurt.

**Update next Wednesday from about here and including both Eli and Owen finding out about Jake's attack.**


	11. You Just Don't Know Who I Am

**I hope you all saw the clues on twitter.**

**A number of you have voiced that you want "Falling Faster Than Anyone Should" to be written so I have it scheduled as a short story, I was planning on it being a long short story maybe 15 chapters or more. Now I'm hearing that you would like it to be a long story which I have no problem with but if you want it to be a long story then you will have to wait until a current long story ends which will probably be July at the earliest. So cast your votes, a short story that will start probably in June or a long story that won't start until July at the earliest and possibly much later. Cast your votes in reviews, PM's or on twitter.**

**Ch. 11 You Just Don't Know Who I am**

**(DALLAS)**

"Did Asher do this?" I ask Clare when the Torres brothers are both upstairs.

"No, Jake was high and he attacked me," Clare tells me.

My fists clench, she is mine, her body belongs to me unless I allow someone else to touch her. Her fucking stepbrother ex-boyfriend tried to take her and now he has to answer to me. Getting off the sofa I grab Drew's keys from where he dropped them and leave the basement, it's a short drive back to her house and I find the front door unlocked. I can hear loud music upstairs and when I go up to the bedrooms I find Jake in his with the music blasting. He's lying on his bed, amused by something in his hand, or possibly just his hand he does look pretty high.

"Martin," I growl at him.

"What the fuck! What are you doing here?" He questions.

"You attacked Clare I came to kill you," I reply walking to his bed and picking him up by the shirt.

"You ain't her boyfriend, why the hell do you care?" Jake questions.

I turn him around to face his bed, kick the back of his knee so that he sinks down and pin his arm behind his back. "She belongs to me! Her body is mine and you tried to take it!" I snarl twisting his arm a little more and he cries out. "If you ever go near Clare again without coming to me first for my permission I'll break both your arms and make your life a living hell."

I release his arm but just to be sure that I got my point across I kick him in the ribs and he goes down. Then to make it look like I came over for a reason, other than killing Clare's stepbrother ex, I go into her room. I find a bag and put in a couple of changes of clothes since I know she'll be at our house at least a couple of nights. Then I drive home but it's empty, everyone is gone so I get out my phone and call Drew.

"Hey where'd you go?" Drew questions.

"To get a change of clothes for Clare, where the hell are you guys?" I query.

"The ER, Clare threw up and then passed out so we brought her to the ER. We're waiting for the doctor, they took an x-ray and stuff but they think she has a concussion. They want to keep her overnight," Drew informs me.

"I'll meet you guys there," I respond and hang up. I drive to the hospital and park near Audra's car, walk in and search for Clare; she's in a room upstairs since she'll be staying the night. "Brought you a change of clothes," I tell Clare when I go into her hospital room.

"Thanks Mike," she says but Eli, who must have been called by Adam, glares at me.

"Why did he get it?" Eli growls from her bedside and she gives him a look, I'm tempted just punch him.

"I knew she wouldn't be going home I thought she'd like a change of clothes," I reply.

"Eli can you get me some water please? I think there's a vending machine down the hall," Clare requests.

"Sure," he says kissing her forehead, it better be the only place his lips touch on her.

"Did you kill him?" Clare asks me with Adam and Drew still in the room, I'm not entirely sure where Audra and Omar are, talking to the doctor I would assume.

"Kill who?" Adam questions.

"Her fucking stepbrother," I respond.

"Did Jake do this?" Adam asks Clare.

"He was high, he attacked me, threw me on the bed, I bounced off and hit my head on the dresser," Clare tells them.

"Jake attacked you! Why didn't you tell us?" Drew questions.

"And why did you tell Dallas?" Adam inquires.

"I figured it out, I knew she'd need clothes and I hit it into him not to bother her," I tell them.

Drew and Adam seem shocked and confused, they look a little like they're starting to figure out that there's more to my relationship with Clare than they think. We all go silent again when Eli returns to the room with a water bottle for Clare, he's followed by Audra and Omar.

"The doctor said you'll be released in the morning Clare. There's no swelling in your brain or bleeding but the doctor suggests you take it easy for the weekend. I tried to call your mom but she didn't answer so we'll keep you at our house for the weekend," Audra informs her.

"Mom is on a date with Glen but considering Jake did this I doubt she'd care anyway," Clare remarks.

"Jake did this?" Eli questions taking Clare's hand.

"He was high, he pushed me into the bed and I bounced off hitting my head on the dresser," she explains again but I'm certain there's more to it than that.

Eli says nothing, only kisses the bump on her head which causes her pain, I don't understand why she's with him and I become determined to break them up.

"We'll come get you in the morning Clare, come on boys she needs her rest," Audra tells us.

Eli kisses her again and Adam hugs her then we all leave, Eli goes back to his car and Adam decides to sleep at Eli's. I give Drew back his keys and we follow his parents back to his house.

"How well do you know Jake?" I ask Drew as we drive to his house.

"He's in my English class but I don't really know him. He dated Clare and broke up with her when their parents got engaged. He broke up with her at the same prom where Adam got shot and then she kind of disappeared for the summer. Up until now Jake always seemed kind of goofy and harmless," Drew shrugs. "You know beating up her attacker might score you some points but she's still in love with Eli," Drew remarks.

"_No she's not," _I refrain from saying the comment out loud because it would just lead to questions that would probably be bad to answer.

**(CLARE)**

I hate trying to sleep in hospitals, it never works, this time was even worse because a nurse came in every hour to make sure I was not in a coma. Around 4AM I just sort of gave up on sleep all together and turned on the TV. Thankfully Audra was also up early and after a call to my dad she was able to get me released to her.

"Dallas has said you can take his bed and he'll sleep on the sofa again. You should take it easy for the weekend and we'll keep you at our place until at least Monday. Your mother refuses to believe that Jake attacked you, Jake denies it and Glen is of course backing him up. Jake also is accusing Dallas of beating him up and threatening him," Audra tells me.

"Jake was high he didn't know what was going on," I respond not wanting Mike to get into trouble for doing something good for once.

"Which is what Dallas said too and we told your mom but she's not listening. I don't think Adam and Eli are up yet but I'm sure they will be over as soon as they're awake," Audra says and I nod.

Truth is I don't really want Eli to come over; I do want Adam, not just because it's his house but he always makes me laugh. The one person I do want is the one person I can't have, Owen has to stay away or Mike will hurt him. When we get to the Torres house I bring in my bag and sit on the living room sofa and Audra starts breakfast.

"How you feeling?" Drew asks hopping over the back of the sofa.

"Fine aside from the throbbing headache," I reply and Drew grins.

"Oh Drew the doctor sent home some pain reliever for her, the bag is by the door would you mind?" Audra asks.

"Nope I got it," Drew says getting up and grabbing the bag, he hands it to me and then gets me some water.

Omar comes downstairs and helps Audra in the kitchen and Mike comes upstairs and we all start eating. After breakfast Audra tells Mike to put fresh sheets on his bed and tells me to go rest downstairs. Drew, who came downstairs in pajama bottoms, goes upstairs to get dressed. Mike gets fresh sheets from the linen closet and I follow him downstairs carrying my bag. Once we're down with the door closed and behind the wall he drops the sheets on the bed, takes the bag from my hand and putting an arm around my lower back pulls my body to his. Then his lips abduct mine, it's a hard, eager and possessive kiss but I respond to it the way I always do none the less. Gripping his shirt and parting my lips allowing his tongue in. He picks me up by the hips and shoving some stuff off his desk lifts me up setting me on the desk.

"If Jake even looks at you again I will rip out his eyes," Mike tells me.

"He wasn't like that when we were dating he was just goofy and sweet. But last night he really wanted to rape me," I comment.

"I don't care what he was like when you were dating, you belong to me, this body is mine and mine alone, unless I say otherwise and that strung out bastard will never touch you," Mike asserts and takes my lips again. He starts to get a hand up my shirt when Drew starts running down the stairs, Mike withdraws his hand and starts changing the sheets.

I hop down from the desk and run into Drew as he's on his way into Mike's room. "Umm I'm going to lie down on the sofa," I tell Drew who gives me an odd look.

"Okay, Adam and Eli are on their way over," Drew says.

I nod and go out to the sofa while Drew helps Mike change the sheets. When they're done they join me on the sofa, Drew turns on the TV. Eli and Adam come through the door a few minutes later. They ask how I'm feeling, I tell them I'm fine and they sit on either side of me. I spend most of the day watching the boys play video games; Eli stays for dinner but drives home after. He kisses me before he leaves, a long one with Mike watching us but Eli doesn't notice. When Eli is gone the four of us watch a movie, Mike positions himself next to me and manages to caress my skin for the entire movie without Drew or even Adam, sitting on the other side of me, noticing. When the movie ends Audra says I need to rest and sends the boys up to bed. I don't feel very tired but Audra wants me to go to bed and rest so I do, at least she cares, I haven't heard from my own mother all day. I get ready for bed and lay down, in spite of changing the sheets the bed still smells like Mike and it's pleasing. Yet when I fall asleep I do not dream about Mike or my boyfriend Eli, instead I dream of Owen. A very steamy dream that I am deep in the middle of and enjoying thoroughly when I am awoken by a real touch, but I know instantly that it's not Owen, even deep in a dream I react to Mike's touch.

"I'm supposed to rest," I try and argue but it doesn't sound very convincing when it's said on a moaning breath.

"This is restful," Mike replies.

"N…nnngnnggnng," the no doesn't actually make it from my lips, it never does around Mike.

When he moves my panties aside and slips to fingers into me my back arches and I bite my lip to muffle the deeply erotic moan. His lips touch down against my flesh, right on my jugular vein; his lips barely caress my skin and my pulse races, beating against his lips as he leaves an open mouth kiss. I can feel his erection, confined to his boxers for now but I have to wonder for how long. I can feel the silk of his boxers wet with pre-cum as his fingers work their way into me and he adds another finger. They twist inside me, stimulating more nerves and I lurch, arching my back, my heels digging into the bed. Then he suddenly he removes his fingers rapidly and my whole body shakes as I whimper.

"That was mean," I whine as Mike sits up wiping his fingers on the fresh sheets.

"You said you needed to rest," he responds.

"Mike," I complain gripping his shirt as he tries to get off the bed.

"You're supposed to rest, I can't fuck you if you're supposed to rest, we'll make up for it later," he tells me taking my hand from his shirt and kissing it.

Then he gets off the bed and goes upstairs, now I really can't sleep, I was already horny from my dream and now it's even worse. The only way I can get to sleep again is to masturbate but it's not nearly as satisfying. It's very late into the night before I finally get to sleep again and I get awoken by a kiss, it's Eli. I respond to the kiss but only enough that he knows I'm awake.

"What are you doing here?" Mike questions in a growling tone.

"Came to wake up my girlfriend, what are you doing down here in your underwear?" Eli asks back with tone that has just as much of a growl.

"It's my room," Mike responds with a cocky grin, opening his dresser and pulling clothes out.

Eli glares at him until Mike has left the room, when he's gone I ask Eli to wait on the other side of the curtain so that I can get dressed. After eating breakfast Audra says she's taking me back to the hospital for a follow up and that Mom wants me to come home. Both Eli and Adam, who came with us to the hospital, argue that I can't go back because Jake attacked me. Audra says it's up to me but I don't really want to go back, not tonight and Audra says I'm more than welcome to stay another night. Eli asks to spend the night as well and Adam convinces her that the three of us can have a sleep over in the basement since Eli and I won't do anything with Adam around. We wouldn't do anything anyway but it doesn't matter I want Adam with us anyway.

After an x-ray and physical exam the doctor says I'm okay and can resume activities. He simply says to take pain reliever if my head hurts and to not hit my head again. We stop for lunch on the way home and then my house so I can get another change of clothes and my backpack but everyone is home and I don't want to go in. Adam tells me he, Drew and Mike can come back and get my stuff for me. I tell Adam what I want and he promises to get it all, Audra takes us back to the Torres house. Adam tells Drew and Mike that they're going to my house to get my stuff; Mike gives me an evil grin that makes me think he's going to hit Jake again. The three of them leave and Audra goes upstairs to talk to Omar and now I'm alone with my boyfriend, which should be a good thing but I don't feel like it is.

"Why didn't you call me?" Eli questions sitting next to me on the sofa.

"What?"

"Friday night when Jake attacked, why didn't you call me?" Eli asks.

"I just hit speed dial on my phone Eli, I could have just as easily called K.C. as Adam, I wasn't thinking I just wanted to get away," I reply.

"Then why didn't you come to my house? Why didn't you have Adam bring you to my house that night?"

"Eli," I say in frustration as I get off the sofa, "I was upset, my head was pounding I just wanted to be away from Jake. I was safe with Adam and Drew," I argue. _"And Mike," _I add silently. "That should be all that matters, if you're going to be jealous every time I don't run to you then we should just break up now," I tell him.

"No don't break up with me, that's not what you want is it?" Eli asks and I hesitate. Part of me wants to break up with him; part of me doesn't, a very small part, mostly the part that doesn't want to end up as Mike's girlfriend. "I love you Clare, I need you don't break up with me. What would I do without my muse?"

"I don't want to break up Eli but no more jealousy," I assert.

Eli doesn't say anything, simply smirks and pulls me to him for a kiss. The soft kiss quickly becomes hard, too hard and I have to push him away.

"Eli stop," I say and he gives me an angry yet jilted look, "not here, Audra won't let you sleep over if she catches us making out, let's just watch TV until the others get back."

Eli relaxes and we sit on the sofa but he keeps a tight arm around me, and he doesn't release it all day.

**(DALLAS)**

Last night was terrible; I had to sit with everyone in the basement and couldn't touch Clare because her douchebag boyfriend wouldn't let her go. Then he spent the night, downstairs with her but at least Adam was down there with them so I know all they could have possibly done was kiss. The five of us came to school together and Clare rode in back between Adam and her fucking boyfriend. She was off with him now, I hated watching that idiot touch her, she was mine and he was poisoning her without ever realizing it.

"Hey you stupid hockey jock you cracked two of my ribs and dislocated my shoulder," Jake snarls at me but he doesn't try to strike me, which might have something to do with the sling on his arm.

"Then you shouldn't have tried to rape your own stepsister you fucking druggie prick," I growl right back at him but keep my voice low.

"I thought she was fair game, after all she's in your service," Jake responds, I grab his shirt and slam him into the locker ready to hit him but he's not done talking yet, "and Owen's."

My fist stops just short of his face, "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Owen was in her room that night and they were sharing one blistering kiss," Jake informs me.

I knew Owen had a thing for her but I thought he was smart enough to stay away. Guess not but I'm not done with Jake yet, I slam him hard enough that the back of his head hits the lockers and I'm sure he'll have bruises.

"You stay away from Clare, you want to so much as shake her hand you have to go through me," I tell Jake then drop him and send a text to Clare.

**Mike: Civics classroom now.**

I know she'll come because she knows that if she doesn't someone else will pay. I leave the lights off and the curtains closed and wait just inside the door.

"What is it I have to get to co-op?" She questions when she comes through the door.

I grab her by the waistband of her skirt and turn her rapidly leaning her against the teacher's desk, abducting her lips and seizing the exhale that leaves her mouth. Her hands perch at the edge of the desk unwilling to embrace me back yet her body presses into mine because her body knows what it wants. I shove the things on the teacher's desk aside and force her to lean back; when she's lying down I straighten but keep a hand caressing her skin so she stays down.

"Mike I have to get to co-op," she argues.

"I'll call Asher and explain," I tell her as I take her shoes off and they drop to the floor.

Next comes her tights, I hate when she wears them but I guess it's a little cold for her not to cover her legs. Still I think I'll take her shopping for a garter belt after school. I take off her tights as quickly as I can without ripping them, she starts to sit up but I overtake her lips again, forcing her to lay down again, her lips parting for me I grip her panties and yank them roughly, the material rips but they remain on by the thick stitching around the top. So I open the drawer in the desk and find a pair of scissors, snipping the straps on her hips until the silk material falls open. Using my hips to spread her legs I get between them, kissing her a little harder as my fingers move up her inner thigh. I part her pussy lips with two fingers and then scissor those same two fingers into her. She yelps, moaning slightly, her body jolting and she grips my shirt. I finger her a few minutes, maintaining the kiss so she doesn't moan to loud; my other hand works under her shirt and bra to grab her breast. Maneuvering my hand a little my thumb presses her clit sending her body into erotic shock and she bites my lower lip. Clare starts to quiver, drawing close to orgasm and I withdraw from inside her quickly, she whines, her body lurches, I grab both her wrists and pin them above her head.

"Jake tells me you were kissing Owen," I inform her while licking my fingers.

"Jake was high he doesn't know anything," she counters with heavy breaths and a whimpering, whining tone that's begging for me to finish her.

"I agree but I also think you were kissing and I think that seeing you two is what made Jake think he could take a turn with you. If Owen kissed you he will have to pay."

"No Mike don't, it was an impulsive kiss and I kissed him, leave Owen out of it. You already have me the way you wanted please don't do anything to Owen. We can do more, like last summer, anything but leave Owen alone," she pleads with me, she never pled so hard to save Eli and it occurs to me that she has actual feelings for Owen. I don't like that she does but it does give her a weakness and something I can use to my advantage.

"Okay I won't do anything to Owen but you have to meet me tonight for a bit of shopping, we'll need supplies," I tell her. She looks a little scared but bites her lip and nods, I grin excitedly. "Good, now what do you say we get you off."

Crushing my lips to hers again I release her wrists and begin loosening my belt. Able to get my jeans and boxers down enough to free my hard cock I move her to the edge of the desk and spear into her, hard, fast, deep and thorough. She jolts up, beginning to release a rapturous whimper and I muffle it with another kiss. My lower lip stings, I think she actually drew blood. My arm goes around her lower back lifting her up as I start to pull out. Then I thrust deep into her again and when I'm all the way in I pick her up and turn us so that I'm perched at the end of the desk and she's forced to grip me with her arms and legs, her knees sit on the desk and I'm able to impale her even deeper like this. Her arms go tightly around my neck, her head resting on my shoulder, her entire body shaking like sexually charged gelatin. She can barely move in this position but she's still moaning and kisses me even harder. I grab her tightly by the waist and start moving her on me, bouncing her as quickly as I can and she rapidly builds to climax. She pulls out of the kiss ready to scream out in euphoric release.

"Muffle it," I whisper to her.

She bites down on my jacket screaming into it as her whole body tenses and then shakes wildly erupting with orgasmic elation. I don't even wait for her orgasm to dissipate before I pull out of her, making her flinch and whimper. Lifting her down I turn her over, bending her over the desk and fucking her hard from behind. Her heavy breathing becomes mixed with grunts and whimpers, I hold a hand to her mouth to keep her quiet or someone's going to come in here. She's ready to pop again fairly quickly and lucky for her so am I or this could go on for hours. I picture her bent over a student desk on her stomach, her wrists and ankles restrained to the desk legs while I fuck her hard. She screams into my hand just as I grunt and shoot into her, thrusting a few more times until my orgasm is gone and then I pull out. She lies there another minute trying to catch her breath, the room smells like sex now, my juices and hers dripping down her legs, which are trembling still. I grab a tissue and clean her a little, she hitches a breath when I get near her pussy again and it's tempting to bring her to orgasm once again but the bells about to ring so I let her be, for now.

"I'll drive you to co-op, considering you're late and can barely walk now," I tell her handing her tights to her.

"I smell like sex and I have no panties now, you expect me to go to co-op like this?" She sort of snaps at me as she turns around, it doesn't sound like she's very angry though as she's till trembling a bit and every breath is baited and heavy.

"Well I'm on spare so you could stay here but I will keep bringing you to orgasm until the next bell. I know I just came but I'm pretty sure if I strip you naked and strap you to one of the student desks with my belt and your tights that I would be hard and ready to fuck you again. It sounds so good and of course I'd have to get some new pictures."

"Co-op," she says taking her tights and then whimpering a little when she puts them on.

I take her torn and cut panties and put them in my pocket, just about everyone is in class so we simply walk out. I made myself a copy of Drew's car key so I can just take it now, she shifts uncomfortably for the entire ride and I park in the parking lot calling Asher.

"She's late," he says when he answers.

"We're in the parking lot meet us," I instruct him and hang up. It takes just a minute for Asher to appear, opening Clare's door. "I fucked her hard, twice this morning, on the teacher's desk so she's sore and tired now. See that she gets some rest, desk work only, as I plan to fuck her some more later. And you behave yourself, this should keep you happy," I tell Asher handing him her panties from my pocket.

"Mike!" She scolds as Asher holds them to his face and inhales deeply to take in her sent.

"If you even put a hand on her shoulder today I'll strangle you with those," I inform Asher and then look at Clare, "I'll be back to pick you up."

She gets out of the car, walking somewhat slow behind Asher. I drive back to school and grab something to eat from the caf, all that fucking made me hungry. When I pick Clare up she assures me that Asher behaved but kept giving her lecherous looks. The rest of the school day is horribly boring, mostly because I can't wait to get Clare to the sex shop and buy some new things. I barely make it through hockey practice because I keep thinking of Clare doing so many naughty things to me and me doing very naughty things to her, her naked body restrained, sometimes gagged, never wearing more than a garter belt with stockings and heels. By the time practice is done I'm salivating and so ready to take her again.

"You're in a big hurry captain," Luke comments as I change really fast and toss my gear in the locker.

"You got a date or something?" Jeff asks.

"Or something, got to get some new toys," I remark and Owen shoots me a look.

I rush off to the shower before all the others, Owen is the next in the showers taking the stall next to mine and he gets out when I do, both of us wrapping towels around our waists. The other guys are all in the showers so it's just the two of us in the locker room and Owen puts one hand on my chest backing me into the lockers while holding his towel with one hand.

"Easy 22, you're a good looking guy but you're not my type," I laugh.

"You're meeting Clare aren't you, what are you doing to her?" He growls but keeps his voice low.

"She's mine I'll do whatever the fuck I want to her, which is usually fuck her. Tonight though she has to make up for the kiss you two had Friday night," I reply with a gloating smirk because I know this is killing him.

"I kissed her, stay away from her! Is that how she got the bump on her head? If you hit her I'll kill you, slowly and extremely painfully," Owen warns me.

"That wasn't me, the bump on her head came from Jake, she went to the ER because he saw your kiss and he wanted to fuck her too, she has that effect doesn't she, making you want to fuck her. You can kill Jake all you like, I already told him to stay away. Tonight I'm making her pay for the kiss by getting some new toys and new pictures and fucking her until she can't speak," I inform Owen, my voice getting lower and lower as the other guys start getting out of the shower.

When the other guys start looking at us Owen steps back from me and starts getting dressed. When I leave for the parking lot Owen is on my heels, I laugh privately it's really amusing, watching him squirm and be tortured by the fact that I have Clare and she doesn't belong to Owen in any way.

"You know I might let you join us one day, if you can be good that is. I'm sure you're dying to fuck her, she really is a good fuck," I tell him.

"Shut up!" He snarls pushing me into Drew's car, which I borrowed. "Stay away from Clare, she has a boyfriend," he reminds me and curls his fist ready to punch.

"Yes she does, an idiot of emo boy who borders on abusive and doesn't have a hint about how to treat her or what to do for her. You know I don't think it's killing you that I get her anytime, anywhere, anyhow I want, I think it's killing you that Eli's her boyfriend and she says she's in love with him," I smirk.

Before Owen can hit me I surprise him with a sucker punch to the face, while he's still dazed I jump in the driver's seat and drive off. Clare will be waiting for me down the block from the Dot as was previously arranged. She gets in the car and I drive to the seedy part of downtown, taking her into the first sex shop I see.

"What are we even doing here?" She questions.

"We need handcuffs for sure, lube, a garter belt and some anal beads, a plug maybe, mmm and nipple clamps," I salivate at the pictures in my head.

She bites her lip and looks away from but says nothing and I put my arm around her as we walk into the store. I find her a black garter belt and a red one, several pairs of stockings to go with them and a pair of black stiletto's. Then four pairs of handcuffs, a big thing of lube and a pair of nipple clamps. Then I find an anal kit that comes with lots fun things for me to play with and I pay for it all while Clare can't even look the sales clerk in the eye.

"I'm still sore from this morning," she tells me as if this will convince me not to use this stuff tonight.

"Then we'll start with pictures, first let's stop by your house," I tell her as we get in the car to drive home.

"Why?"

"So you can get clothes to stay over again, Audra will let you after what Jake did and you can take my bed again."

"Fine just wait in the car," she insists.

"No deal, I don't trust Jake," I respond.

She doesn't say anything but gets out of the car and I follow her, her family looks at us when we enter.

"I'm getting some clothes and sleeping at Adam's again," Clare informs them.

"I'm here to be sure she doesn't get hurt again," I state glaring at Jake.

I go upstairs with her and she packs a bag, leaves without a word to her family and I drive home excited for tonight's fun. I may not be able to contain myself until everyone falls asleep.

**Update next Wednesday from around here and with some Owen pov.**

**Shout out to SimGirl for****requesting the desk and to everyone who likes how hot the Clallas parts are in this savor them while you can because this is getting closer and closer to being Clowen.**


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